--- title: Build image overview product: vercel url: /docs/builds/build-image canonical_url: "https://vercel.com/docs/builds/build-image" last_updated: 2026-08-11 type: reference prerequisites: - /docs/builds related: - /docs/builds - /docs/functions/runtimes - /docs/functions/runtimes/node-js - /docs/functions/runtimes/python - /docs/functions/runtimes/ruby summary: Learn about the container image used for Vercel builds. install_vercel_plugin: npx plugins add vercel/vercel-plugin --- # Build image overview When you initiate a deployment, Vercel will [build your project](/docs/builds) within a container using the build image. Vercel supports [multiple runtimes](/docs/functions/runtimes). ## Related pages > **For AI agents:** Follow these links to understand how this page connects to the rest of the Vercel ecosystem. For the full cross-link map (inbound, outbound, prerequisites, and semantic neighbors), see the .graph.md link below. - [vlt is now available in builds via zero configuration](https://vercel.com/changelog/vlt-is-now-available-in-builds-via-zero-configuration?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) - [Does Vercel support Docker deployments?](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/does-vercel-support-docker-deployments?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Vercel supports deploying OCI-compatible container images through Vercel Functions and Vercel Container Registry, with A - [Running Docker on Vercel](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/docker?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Learn how to run Docker on Vercel by deploying OCI container images as Vercel Functions, storing them in Vercel Containe - [How to install system packages in Vercel Sandbox](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/how-to-install-system-packages-in-vercel-sandbox?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Learn how to install additional system packages in Vercel Sandbox with apt-get on the default Ubuntu-based managed image - [Deploy Rust on Vercel with Docker](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/deploy-rust-on-vercel-with-docker?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Build a Rust application with Axum and Docker, then deploy it to Vercel Functions. Learn how to configure environment va - [Deploy a Node.js Fastify app on Vercel with Docker](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/deploy-nodejs-on-vercel-with-docker?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Build a Node.js application with Fastify and Docker, then deploy it to Vercel Functions. Learn how to configure environm - [vercel build](https://vercel.com/docs/cli/build?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Learn how to build a Vercel Project locally or in your own CI environment using the vercel build CLI command. - [How Vercel builds your application](https://vercel.com/docs/fundamentals/builds?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Learn how Vercel transforms your source code into optimized assets ready to serve globally. - [Vercel Container Registry](https://vercel.com/docs/container-registry?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Store and manage Docker container images on Vercel. Build and push images with the Vercel CLI, then run them on Vercel F - [Build Output API](https://vercel.com/docs/build-output-api?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — The Build Output API is a file-system-based specification for a directory structure that can produce a Vercel deployment - [Vercel Documentation Sitemap](https://vercel.com/docs/sitemap.md?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Browse Vercel documentation pages with summaries, prerequisites, and topics. Full cross-link map for this page: [/docs/builds/build-image.graph.md](/docs/builds/build-image.graph.md?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Fbuilds%2Fbuild-image&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=graph) | Runtime | [Build image](/docs/builds/build-image) | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | [Node.js](/docs/functions/runtimes/node-js) | `24.x` `22.x` `20.x` | | [Python](/docs/functions/runtimes/python) | `3.14`, `3.13`, `3.12` | | [Ruby](/docs/functions/runtimes/ruby) | `3.3.x` | | [Go](/docs/functions/runtimes/go) | (Supported) | | [Edge](/docs/functions/runtimes/edge) | (Supported) | | [Community Runtimes](/docs/functions/runtimes#community-runtimes) | (Supported) | The build image uses [Amazon Linux 2023](https://aws.amazon.com/linux/amazon-linux-2023/) as its base image. ## Pre-installed packages The following packages are pre-installed in the build image with `dnf`, the default package manager for Amazon Linux 2023. ## Running the build image locally Vercel does not provide the build image itself, but you can use the Amazon Linux 2023 base image to test things locally: ```bash filename="terminal" docker run --rm -it amazonlinux:2023.2.20231011.0 sh ``` When you are done, run `exit` to return. ## Installing additional packages You can install additional packages into the build container by configuring the [Install Command](/docs/builds/configure-a-build#install-command) within the dashboard or the [`"installCommand"`](/docs/project-configuration/vercel-json#installcommand) in your `vercel.json` to use any of the following commands. The build image includes access to repositories with stable versions of popular packages. You can list all packages with the following command: ```bash filename="terminal" dnf list ``` You can search for a package by name with the following command: ```bash filename="terminal" dnf search my-package-here ``` You can install a package by name with the following command: ```bash filename="terminal" dnf install -y my-package-here ``` --- [View full sitemap](/docs/sitemap)