# `oci_load`

Loads one or more image archives into a local container engine. This is a
runtime operation: invoke it with `once run`, not as a cacheable image build.

## Dependencies and engine

The `image` dependency role accepts `container_image` providers in load order.
Set `daemon` to `docker` (the default) or `podman`. The selected engine must be
installed and available locally.

The target exposes `build` and `run` with no output groups. Building its
prerequisites produces the archives; running it performs the engine load.
It does not start a container or publish an image.

```sh
once query schema oci_load
once query example oci_load oci-pull-and-extend
```

Use [`oci_push`](/reference/prelude/oci_push) for registry publication instead.
The [Container Images guide](/guide/graph/containers) connects both operations
to a built image.

`oci_load`

Loads one or more image archives into a local container engine. This is a runtime operation: invoke it with once run, not as a cacheable image build.

Dependencies and engine#

The image dependency role accepts container_image providers in load order. Set daemon to docker (the default) or podman. The selected engine must be installed and available locally.

The target exposes build and run with no output groups. Building its prerequisites produces the archives; running it performs the engine load. It does not start a container or publish an image.

bash

once query schema oci_load
once query example oci_load oci-pull-and-extend

Use oci_push for registry publication instead. The Container Images guide connects both operations to a built image.