chisel1.5.0

Chisel lets developers carve selected files from Debian packages to assemble a minimal Ubuntu-like Linux filesystem. Developers choose slices from existing packages in the Ubuntu archives, then combine those slices into a new filesystem containing only the package content they need. This file-level selection solves the problem of building focused runtimes without carrying every file from each package.

Its release database defines the available slices and the files each slice contributes, giving the cut workflow a precise basis for constructing the filesystem. The resulting filesystem can be packaged as an OCI-compliant container image or another similar format, making chisel useful for developers creating purpose-built container environments. Canonical publishes chisel for Linux, and its open-source license suits teams that want to work with its source-based filesystem assembly model.

The current release is v1.5.0 and targets x86_64 (amd64) systems. It requires Linux with snapd, and the snap imposes a placement rule: the root path passed to the cut command must be inside the user’s HOME directory. Generated slice content therefore has to be placed within that HOME-based location when using the Linux snap.