guestfs-python(3)

NAME
guestfs-python - How to use libguestfs from Python

SYNOPSIS
 import guestfs
 g = guestfs.GuestFS(python_return_dict=True)
 g.add_drive_opts("disk.img", format="raw", readonly=1)
 g.launch()

DESCRIPTION
This manual page documents how to call libguestfs from the Python programming language. This page just documents the differences from the C API and gives some examples. If you are not familiar with using libguestfs, you also need to read guestfs(3).

  python_return_dict=True
All new code should construct the handle using:

 g = guestfs.GuestFS(python_return_dict=True)

This indicates that your program wants to receive Python dicts for methods in the API that return hashtables.

In a future version of libguestfs, this will become the default.

  EXCEPTIONS
Errors from libguestfs functions are mapped into "RuntimeError" with a single string argument which is the error message.

  MORE DOCUMENTATION
Type:

 $ python
 >>> import guestfs
 >>> help(guestfs)

  USING PYTHON BINDINGS IN A VIRTUALENV
These bindings are not available in pypi owing to a licensing problem. See https://bugzilla.redhat.com/1075594 for current status.

However we do publish a Python distribution for selected stable versions of libguestfs in http://libguestfs.org/download/python. You can use it like this:

 pip install http://libguestfs.org/download/python/guestfs-1.XX.YY.tar.gz

EXAMPLE 1: CREATE A DISK IMAGE
 # Example showing how to create a disk image.

 import guestfs

 output = "disk.img"

 # All new Python code should pass python_return_dict=True
 # to the constructor.  It indicates that your program wants
 # to receive Python dicts for methods in the API that return
 # hashtables.
 g = guestfs.GuestFS(python_return_dict=True)

 # Create a raw-format sparse disk image, 512 MB in size.
 g.disk_create(output, "raw", 512 * 1024 * 1024)

 # Set the trace flag so that we can see each libguestfs call.
 g.set_trace(1)

 # Attach the disk image to libguestfs.
 g.add_drive_opts(output, format="raw", readonly=0)

 # Run the libguestfs back-end.
 g.launch()

 # Get the list of devices.  Because we only added one drive
 # above, we expect that this list should contain a single
 # element.
 devices = g.list_devices()
 assert (len(devices) == 1)

 # Partition the disk as one single MBR partition.
 g.part_disk(devices[0], "mbr")

 # Get the list of partitions.  We expect a single element, which
 # is the partition we have just created.
 partitions = g.list_partitions()
 assert (len(partitions) == 1)

 # Create a filesystem on the partition.
 g.mkfs("ext4", partitions[0])

 # Now mount the filesystem so that we can add files.
 g.mount(partitions[0], "/")

 # Create some files and directories.
 g.touch("/empty")
 message = "Hello, world\n"
 g.write("/hello", message)
 g.mkdir("/foo")

 # This one uploads the local file /etc/resolv.conf into
 # the disk image.
 g.upload("/etc/resolv.conf", "/foo/resolv.conf")

 # Because we wrote to the disk and we want to detect write
 # errors, call g.shutdown.  You don't need to do this:
 # g.close will do it implicitly.
 g.shutdown()

 # Note also that handles are automatically closed if they are
 # reaped by reference counting.  You only need to call close
 # if you want to close the handle right away.
 g.close()

EXAMPLE 2: INSPECT A VIRTUAL MACHINE DISK IMAGE
 # Example showing how to inspect a virtual machine disk.

 import sys
 import guestfs

 if len(sys.argv) < 2:
     print("inspect_vm: missing disk image to inspect", file=sys.stderr)
     sys.exit(1)
 disk = sys.argv[1]

 # All new Python code should pass python_return_dict=True
 # to the constructor.  It indicates that your program wants
 # to receive Python dicts for methods in the API that return
 # hashtables.
 g = guestfs.GuestFS(python_return_dict=True)

 # Attach the disk image read-only to libguestfs.
 g.add_drive_opts(disk, readonly=1)

 # Run the libguestfs back-end.
 g.launch()

 # Ask libguestfs to inspect for operating systems.
 roots = g.inspect_os()
 if len(roots) == 0:
     print("inspect_vm: no operating systems found", file=sys.stderr)
     sys.exit(1)

 for root in roots:
     print("Root device: %s" % root)

     # Print basic information about the operating system.
     print("  Product name: %s" % (g.inspect_get_product_name(root)))
     print("  Version:      %d.%d" %
           (g.inspect_get_major_version(root),
            g.inspect_get_minor_version(root)))
     print("  Type:         %s" % (g.inspect_get_type(root)))
     print("  Distro:       %s" % (g.inspect_get_distro(root)))

     # Mount up the disks, like guestfish -i.
     #
     # Sort keys by length, shortest first, so that we end up
     # mounting the filesystems in the correct order.
     mps = g.inspect_get_mountpoints(root)
     for device, mp in sorted(mps.items(), key=lambda k: len(k[0])):
         try:
             g.mount_ro(mp, device)
         except RuntimeError as msg:
             print("%s (ignored)" % msg)

     # If /etc/issue.net file exists, print up to 3 lines.
     filename = "/etc/issue.net"
     if g.is_file(filename):
         print("--- %s ---" % filename)
         lines = g.head_n(3, filename)
         for line in lines:
             print(line)

     # Unmount everything.
     g.umount_all()

SEE ALSO
guestfs(3), guestfs-examples(3), guestfs-erlang(3), guestfs-golang(3), guestfs-java(3), guestfs-lua(3), guestfs-ocaml(3), guestfs-perl(3), guestfs-recipes(1), guestfs-ruby(3), http://libguestfs.org/.

AUTHORS
Richard W.M. Jones ("rjones at redhat dot com")

COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2010-2025 Red Hat Inc.

LICENSE
This manual page contains examples which we hope you will use in your programs. The examples may be freely copied, modified and distributed for any purpose without any restrictions.

BUGS
To get a list of bugs against libguestfs, use this link: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/buglist.cgi?component=libguestfs&product=Virtualization+Tools

To report a new bug against libguestfs, use this link: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/enter_bug.cgi?component=libguestfs&product=Virtualization+Tools

When reporting a bug, please supply:

•   The version of libguestfs.

•   Where you got libguestfs (eg. which Linux distro, compiled from source, etc)

•   Describe the bug accurately and give a way to reproduce it.

•   Run libguestfs-test-tool(1) and paste the complete, unedited output into the bug report.