Cloud-init metapackagesΒΆ

Starting in Ubuntu 25.04, cloud-init added cloud-specific metapackages to better express cloud-specific dependencies and reduce image size.

The original cloud-init is still available as a metapackage and a smaller version (called cloud-init-base) has been created to include just the essential dependencies. A few specific metapackages have been created, while more cloud-specific ones are under development. The current set include:

  • cloud-init-base - package that contains the cloud-init code along with the minimal set of dependencies

  • cloud-init - is a metapackage that retains every previous dependency

  • cloud-init-cloud-sigma and cloud-init-smart-os - metapackages with an additional dependency on python3-serial. They can be installed if the target platform is CloudSigma or SmartOS

If you are an image builder:

  • Install cloud-init, containing all dependencies, if the target platform is unknown

  • Install cloud-init-base if the target platform(s) are known and do not require specific dependencies

  • Install a cloud-specific metapackage if the target platform has some specific dependency requirements.