TAR guide

Download Docker Images as TAR or TAR.GZ

Generate standard image tarballs from any OS in the browser and move them to USB or offline hosts.

Base URL https://containerdl.com

Why TAR exports are useful

Standard tarball

Compatible with docker load, podman load, and easy USB transfer.

No daemon required

Export without a local Docker socket.

CI friendly

Use the API to fetch tarballs in pipelines.

How it works

Enter an image reference.
Export and download the TAR.
Load it using docker load or podman load.

Example

Export and download a TAR

curl

curl -X POST https://containerdl.com/v1/exports \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cdl_live_xxx" \
  -d '{"image":"alpine:latest"}'

curl -L https://containerdl.com/v1/exports/{id}/download \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cdl_live_xxx" \
  -o alpine.tar

Replace {id} with the export id from the first response.
Compress the TAR with gzip if you need tar.gz.

Common use cases

CI pipelines needing reproducible artifacts.
Seeding internal registries or mirrors.
Security scans and SBOM generation.
Sharing images across teams or environments.
USB delivery to offline servers.

FAQs

Is this the same as docker save?

Yes. The output is a standard image tarball compatible with docker load.

Can I get tar.gz?

You can compress the tarball after download using gzip.

Do you also support ZIP?

ZIP is used for multi-image bundles created from stacks.

Related guides

Offline image transfer

Prepare TAR or ZIP bundles for air-gapped environments.

USB image transfer

Move TAR files to USB for offline installs.

tar.gz download

Compress TAR files for offline use.

Docker save without Docker

Export docker-archive TAR files online.

Docker Hub downloads

Export public Docker Hub images without Docker.

No Docker download

General guide to exporting without Docker installed.

API automation

Use the API to automate exports and bundles.