Course project images

What this setting controls

Student and Shared Project RootFS Image controls the base software image used by student projects and the course shared project. The RootFS image is the visible / filesystem and provides system packages, language runtimes, command line tools, and other managed software.

By default, new student projects follow the RootFS image configured on the instructor project that contains the course file. Set an override only when the course should force a specific managed image for student projects.

New student projects

When a new student project is created, the course copies the current course RootFS choice into that project:

• if no override is saved, the student project follows the instructor project's current RootFS image
• if an override is saved, the student project uses the selected managed image and image id

This makes it possible to prepare a course against a known software stack and avoid per-student environment drift.

Existing course projects

Existing course projects do not change automatically just because you save a new RootFS choice. Use Apply To Existing Student/Shared Projects... when you are ready to roll the image out to already-created student projects and the shared project, if one exists.

Applying to existing projects updates each student project's RootFS image and the shared project's image, if it exists. Any affected project that is currently running is restarted so the new image takes effect immediately.

Data safety

Changing the RootFS changes the managed base filesystem. It is appropriate for course software, installed packages, system libraries, and base image updates.

Important student data should live in persistent project storage such as /root. Treat /tmp as temporary workspace storage. Do not ask students to store important work only in paths that belong to the base RootFS image.

Image selection

The selector shows managed RootFS catalog entries. It hides older versions by default, but you can show older versions when you need to pin a course to a previous image. Hidden or blocked catalog entries are not offered for new selection.

If the course is already configured to use an image that is no longer visible in the catalog, the panel warns you. Save a new selection to move the course to a current managed image.