Summary
In this chapter, we explored some tools that can be used for image lifecycle management and complex builds. The manifest post-processor can be used to capture metadata locally in a simple JSON document. The tools used here are simple and have no outside requirements or dependencies besides your own environment. The sample code repository for this chapter extends previous chapters with examples that now can export build manifests and also system image provisioners to enable dumping system profiles or system scan outputs. It is up to the user to build a workflow or way to consume the output of Packer, which, importantly, includes the manifest output in JSON format.
In the next chapter, we will use HCP Packer for this. HCP Packer serves as a central database for collaborative Packer metadata storage and automatic lifecycle management.
