Cloud Native Buildpacks

aid: buildpacks
name: Cloud Native Buildpacks
description: Cloud Native Buildpacks (CNBs) transform application source code into OCI-compliant container images that can
  run on any cloud, without requiring Dockerfiles. Initiated by Pivotal and Heroku in January 2018, CNBs are a CNCF incubating
  project licensed under Apache-2.0. They centralize container expertise through composable buildpacks, enable layer rebasing
  for efficient OS updates, and generate Software Bills of Materials (SBOM). The pack CLI and kpack platform operator are
  primary integration points.
type: Index
accessModel:
  pricing: freemium
  onboarding: unknown
  trial: false
  try_now: false
  public: false
  label: Freemium
  confidence: medium
  source:
  - plans
  generated: '2026-07-22'
  method: derived
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/icons/buildpacks.png
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/buildpacks/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
created: '2025-01-01'
modified: '2026-04-21'
specificationVersion: '0.19'
tags:
- Build Tools
- CI/CD
- Cloud Native
- CNCF
- Container Images
- Containers
- OCI
- Open Source
apis:
- aid: buildpacks:buildpack-api
  name: Buildpack API Specification
  description: The Buildpack API defines the contract between a buildpack and the lifecycle that executes it. It specifies
    detect, build, and export phases, layer contribution formats, environment variable handling, and SBOM generation interfaces.
  humanURL: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/buildpack-api/
  tags:
  - API Specification
  - Buildpacks
  - Container Images
  - OCI
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/buildpack-api/
  - type: GitHubRepository
    url: https://github.com/buildpacks/spec
- aid: buildpacks:platform-api
  name: Platform API Specification
  description: The Platform API defines the contract between a platform (such as pack or kpack) and the CNB lifecycle. It
    covers builder configuration, build inputs and outputs, stack definitions, and run image management.
  humanURL: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/platform-api/
  tags:
  - API Specification
  - Container Images
  - Platforms
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/platform-api/
  - type: GitHubRepository
    url: https://github.com/buildpacks/spec
- aid: buildpacks:distribution-api
  name: Distribution API Specification
  description: The Distribution API defines the OCI-based format for packaging and distributing buildpacks and builders via
    container registries, including the buildpackage format.
  humanURL: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/distribution-api/
  tags:
  - API Specification
  - Distribution
  - OCI
  - Packaging
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/distribution-api/
  - type: GitHubRepository
    url: https://github.com/buildpacks/spec
common:
- type: DomainSecurity
  url: security/buildpacks-domain-security.yml
- type: Website
  url: https://buildpacks.io
- type: Documentation
  url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/
- type: GitHubOrganization
  url: https://github.com/buildpacks
- type: Blog
  url: https://medium.com/buildpacks
- url: https://medium.com/feed/buildpacks
  type: BlogRSS
  description: Discovered RSS/Atom feed for https://medium.com/buildpacks
- type: Community
  url: https://buildpacks.io/community/
- type: Registry
  url: https://registry.buildpacks.io/
- type: Specification
  url: https://github.com/buildpacks/spec/blob/main/buildpack.md
- type: MailingList
  url: https://lists.cncf.io/g/cncf-buildpacks/join
- type: Slack
  url: https://slack.cncf.io
- type: CNCF
  url: https://www.cncf.io/projects/buildpacks/
- type: DevStats
  url: https://buildpacks.devstats.cncf.io/
- name: Use Cases
  type: UseCases
  data:
  - name: App Developer Image Building
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-app-developers/
    features:
    - No Dockerfile Required
    - Automatic Dependency Detection
    - Multi-Language Support
    - Reproducible Builds
    - ARM Container Support
    - Windows Container Support
  - name: Platform Operator Integration
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-platform-operators/
    features:
    - CI/CD Pipeline Integration
    - pack CLI Integration
    - kpack Kubernetes Operator
    - Tekton Pipeline Support
    - CircleCI Integration
    - GitLab CI Integration
    - Custom Builder Creation
  - name: Buildpack Authoring
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-buildpack-authors/
    features:
    - Custom Language Support
    - Framework-Specific Buildpacks
    - Buildpack Packaging
    - Registry Distribution
    - Extension Authoring
    - Composable Buildpack Groups
  - name: OS-Level Security Patching
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/reference/spec/platform-api/
    features:
    - Layer Rebasing
    - Base Image Updates Without Rebuild
    - Minimal Rebuild Surface
    - Stack Switching
- name: Features
  type: Features
  data:
  - name: pack build
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-platform-operators/how-to/integrate-ci/pack/cli/
    features:
    - Source-to-Image Conversion
    - Builder Selection
    - Environment Variable Injection
    - Volume Mount Support
    - Cache Integration
  - name: pack builder
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-platform-operators/how-to/integrate-ci/pack/cli/
    features:
    - Create Custom Builders
    - Inspect Builder Contents
    - Trust Builder Configuration
    - Suggest Default Builders
  - name: pack rebase
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-platform-operators/how-to/integrate-ci/pack/cli/
    features:
    - Update Base Image Layers
    - No Source Rebuild Required
    - Fast Security Patching
  - name: pack sbom download
    url: https://buildpacks.io/docs/for-platform-operators/how-to/integrate-ci/pack/cli/
    features:
    - Software Bill of Materials
    - Dependency Inventory
    - Security Auditing
    - License Tracking
  - name: Buildpack Registry
    url: https://registry.buildpacks.io/
    features:
    - Community Buildpack Discovery
    - Namespace Registration
    - Version Tracking
    - Verified Buildpacks
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com