lb

Make a new draft

$ lb [[n|new]]

$ lb [[e|edit]]

$ lb [[t|trash]]

$ lb [[p|publish]]

$ lb [[d|delete]]

$ lb [[r|revise]]

lb [action] [options]

--architectures
    Target architectures (e.g. amd64 i386)

--archive-areas
    APT archive areas (main contrib non-free)

--binary-images
    Output image types (iso hybrid netboot usb)

--bootloader
    Bootloader to use

--bootappend-live
    Kernel boot parameters

--cache
    Enable stage caching

--chroot-filesystem
    Chroot filesystem type

--compression
    Squashfs compression algorithm

--config
    Path to config tree

--debian-installer
    Include debian-installer

--debootstrap
    Bootstrap method

--debootstrap-opts
    Extra debootstrap options

--distribution
    Target Debian distribution

--firmware-binary
    Include non-free firmware

--mirror-bootstrap
    Bootstrap mirror URL

--mirror-chroot
    Chroot package mirror

--mode
    Execution mode

--parent-distribution
    Parent distro for derivatives

--parent-mirror-binary
    Parent binary mirror

--security
    Enable security updates

--system
    Live system type

--tasks
    Tasksel task packages

--updates
    Enable updates mirror

--verbose
    Increase output verbosity

--work
    Working directory path

lb is the main command-line tool from the live-build suite, used to create customized Debian live systems as hybrid ISOs, disk images, or USB stick images. It automates stages like bootstrapping a chroot, installing packages, configuring the system, and generating bootable media.

Typical workflow: lb config to set up defaults, customize config/, then lb build to produce the image. Supports multiple architectures, distributions (stable/testing/unstable), and advanced features like persistence, encryption, and custom package lists via config/includes.chroot/. Highly configurable via auto/ and config/ directories.

Ideal for Debian derivatives, rescue disks, or installers. Requires debootstrap and other tools.

Requires root for some stages; large builds need ample disk space (10GB+); config changes may need lb clean to take effect. Not for non-Debian systems.

Key actions: config (setup), build (full build), bootstrap, chroot, clean, help. Run lb --help action for details.

lb config --distribution bookworm --architectures amd64 --bootloader syslinux
lb build → produces live-image-amd64.hybrid.iso

Part of live-build project started 2004 by Debian Live team; lb frontend introduced in v2.0 (2007). Evolved for multi-arch, systemd support; current v2024xx.

live-build(7), debootstrap(8), live-config(7), mkisofs(1), grub-mkimage(1)