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Refactoring and Updating ORAS Documentation

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Disha Jain
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Table of contents

What is ORAS?

ORAS stands for OCI Registry as Storage. It is a tool for managing OCI artifacts. It provides a CLI and client libraries to distribute artifacts across OCI-compliant registries.ORAS is used to store and manage any type of artifact, including container images, Helm charts, and Kubernetes manifests.

Here is an exciting way to explain ORAS:

Imagine a world where you could store all of your artifacts in one place. A place where they were safe, secure, and easy to access. A place where you could version them, sign them, and enforce policies on them. A place where you could integrate them with other systems.

That world is here. It's called ORAS.

ORAS is a distributed artifact storage system that can be used to store and manage any type of artifact.

With ORAS, you can:

  • Store all of your artifacts in one place

  • Secure your artifacts with encryption and access control

  • Version your artifacts to track changes over time

  • Sign your artifacts to verify their authenticity

  • Enforce policies on your artifacts to control who can access them and how they can be used

  • Integrate ORAS with other systems, such as Kubernetes and Docker

ORAS is the future of artifact storage. Sign up for ORAS today and start enjoying the benefits of a world where your artifacts are safe, secure, and easy to access.

What are Artifacts?

An artifact in the context of ORAS is a file or collection of files that can be stored and managed. Artifacts can be of any type, including container images, Helm charts, and Kubernetes manifests.

Here are some examples of artifacts:

  • A container image is a file that contains a snapshot of a running container. Container images can be used to deploy applications to Kubernetes clusters.

  • A Helm chart is a file that defines a Kubernetes application. Helm charts can be used to install and manage Kubernetes applications.

  • A Kubernetes manifest is a file that defines a Kubernetes resource. Kubernetes manifests can be used to create, update, and delete Kubernetes resources.

ORAS can be used to store and manage any type of artifact. It is designed to be easy to use, secure, and reliable.

What are OCI Registries?

OCI registries are a way to store and share container images. They are typically used by developers and IT professionals to store and distribute container images.

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An OCI registry is a storage system for container images. OCI stands for Open Container Initiative, which is a set of specifications for container images and runtime environments. Registries are typically used to store and distribute container images, but they can also be used to store other types of artifacts, such as Helm charts and Kubernetes manifests.

There are many different OCI registries available, both public and private. Some popular public registries include Docker Hub, Quay.io, and Google Artifact Registry. Some popular private registries include Harbor and Amazon ECR.

OCI registries typically have the following features:

  • Storage: Registries store container images in a scalable and durable way.

  • Distribution: Registries allow users to share container images with others.

  • Security: Registries provide security features, such as authentication, authorization, and encryption.

  • Management: Registries provide features for managing container images, such as tagging, versioning, and deletion.

OCI registries are a valuable tool for managing container images. They provide a scalable, secure, and easy way to store, distribute, and manage container images.

Use cases of ORAS-

ORAS can be used in a variety of use cases, including:

  • Distributed artifact storage: ORAS can be used to store artifacts across multiple OCI-compliant registries. This can be useful for organizations that need to store a large volume of artifacts or that need to distribute artifacts to multiple locations.

  • Artifact management: ORAS provides a variety of features for managing artifacts, including:

    • Versioning: ORAS supports versioning of artifacts, so that you can track changes to your artifacts over time.

    • Signing: ORAS can be used to sign artifacts, so that you can verify the authenticity of your artifacts.

    • Policy enforcement: ORAS can be used to enforce policies on artifacts, such as who can access them and how they can be used.

  • Artifact discovery: ORAS can be used to discover artifacts that are stored in OCI-compliant registries. This can be useful for organizations that need to find specific artifacts or that need to keep track of the artifacts that are available to them.

  • Artifact migration: ORAS can be used to migrate artifacts from one OCI-compliant registry to another. This can be useful for organizations that need to consolidate their artifact storage or that need to move their artifacts to a different registry.

ORAS is a powerful tool that can be used to manage artifacts in a variety of ways. If you are looking for a tool to help you store, manage, and discover artifacts, ORAS is a great option.

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