Specification of signatures.json

Goal

This file should contain the data which is used by a program to recognize with a general algorithm which operating system an ISO image passes to the program. This specification should not be limited itself to one operating system. If that this is not possible, we shall focus on Linux and its distributions.

File structure

The file should be a single JSON object which has a single key with the name breeds. This key should contain a single sub-object with key-value pairs for each operating system group.

Currently the following operating system groups are existing:

• redhat
• debian
• ubuntu
• suse
• vmware
• freebsd
• xen
• unix
• windows
• powerkvm
• generic

This list should be modified when new groups are added, removed or changed when changed in the JSON.

Each of these operating system groups have a key for each version of it. The key should be in lowercase and should have a version suffix. The name of the key should be unique across the distribution section and contains an object.

The object has the following keys (type included):

Name	Type	Description
signatures	Array of Strings
version_file	String
version_file_regex	String
kernel_arch	String
kernel_arch_regex	String
supported_arches	Array of Strings
supported_repo_breeds	Array of Strings
kernel_file	String
initrd_file	String
isolinux_ok	Boolean
default_autoinstall	String
kernel_options	String
kernel_options_post	String
template_files	String
boot_files	Array of Strings
boot_loaders	Dictionary

Example files

Please have a look at https://github.com/cobbler/cobbler/blob/master/config/cobbler/distro_signatures.json

The most simple valid (but useless) signatures.json file will be:

{
  "breeds": {}
}