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System extensions

A system extension adds software to the read-only /usr of a Frostyard bootc image. Every Frostyard bootc image carries a definition for each extension in the catalog, switched off. The extension itself is not in the image: Updex turns it on and downloads it.

Find an extension

Section titled “Find an extension”

See what Updex found:

Terminal window
updex components
updex features list

Your image offers only the features it has files for. The catalog below lists what the repository published at the last sync. If updex features list does not show an extension, your image cannot enable it.

Enable an extension

Section titled “Enable an extension”

Enable one and download it now:

Terminal window
sudo updex features enable <name> --now

Replace <name> with a feature name from updex features list. Check the merge:

Terminal window
systemd-sysext status

The output lists the extension you enabled. If enable --now exits with a refresh error (refresh_error in JSON), the download worked, but the activation did not. If the output says activation did not finish, the extension is merged, but users and groups can be missing: reboot. Otherwise the merge state is unknown: reboot. A sudo systemd-sysext refresh by hand does not create users and groups.

Update, roll back, and remove

Section titled “Update, roll back, and remove”

Updex also checks for updates, installs them, and removes an extension again. Enabled extensions update on their own: new versions are staged and become active at the next boot. See Automatic updates. To go back to the previous version, run sudo updex features rollback <name>. It takes effect at the next boot. See Roll back and Manage system extensions for the steps and what to check after each one.

Guides

Section titled “Guides”

The last column of the catalog below links each extension’s guide. Manage system extensions covers the steps that every extension shares:

Manage extensionsFind, enable, check, update, and remove any extension.
Dev toolsAdd a build toolchain: CMake, Ninja, GDB, and GTK4 headers.
DockerAdd Docker Engine, containerd, Buildx, and Compose.
IncusRun system containers and virtual machines, with Incus's own QEMU.
K3sRun a Kubernetes server, or join a cluster as an agent.
NixAdd the Nix package manager and its multi-user daemon.
TailscalePut the host on your tailnet.
Visual Studio CodeAdd the Microsoft editor, its command, and its launcher.

Catalog

Section titled “Catalog”

Listed on . Catalog source:https://repository.frostyard.org/ext/index.

System extensions in the catalog snapshot
ExtensionComponent nameListed versionGuide
1Password desktop1password8.12.42+r11Password desktop
1Password CLI1password-cli2.41.1-11Password CLI
Bitwardenbitwarden2026.10.1+r1Bitwarden
ChatGPTchatgpt26.1027.30824+r1ChatGPT
Claude Desktopclaude-desktop4.4212.0+r1Claude Desktop
code-servercode-server4.144.0code-server
Codercoder2.37.8-1+r3Coder
Debian developmentdebdev1.0.141Debian development
Development toolsdev12.12+r3Dev tools
Docker CEdocker5+29.9.2-1~debian.13~trixieDocker
Microsoft Edgeedge156.0.4314.50-1+r2Microsoft Edge
GitDesktopgitdesktop0.13.7GitDesktop
GitHub Copilotgithub-copilot1.1.33+r1GitHub Copilot
Himmelblauhimmelblau4.0.8-debian13Himmelblau
Incusincus1+7.5.1-debian13-202610281111+r5Incus
K3sk3s1.36.5+k3s1+r1K3s
Lemonadelemonade2026.44.1~13Lemonade
LocalSendlocalsend1.18.2+64LocalSend
lodgelodge0.1.0lodge
Frostmail maildmaild0.3.0Frostmail maild
Moonlightmoonlight6.2.0-frostyard20261029021615Moonlight
Nixnix2.26.3+dfsg-1+r5Nix
Frostnotes notesdnotesd0.3.0Frostnotes notesd
Obsidianobsidian1.14.5Obsidian
paseopaseo0.14.0+r1paseo
pilothousepilothouse0.9.0pilothouse
Podman + Distroboxpodman5.4.2+ds1-2+b2Podman + Distrobox
Porter porterdporterd0.1.1Porter porterd
frostread readdreadd0.2.0frostread readd
Sunshinesunshine2026.914.233613-1+debiantrixieSunshine
Tailscaletailscale1.104.4Tailscale
Voxtypevoxtype1.1.1-frostyard20261029021618+r1Voxtype
Visual Studio Codevscode1.144.0-1793133881+r1Visual Studio Code

The listed version is a match from the published checksums at the last sync. It is not always the newest: run updex features check to see what you can update to.

Sources

Section titled “Sources”

Reviewed 2026-10-27; Updex facts reviewed 2026-10-30. snosi commit b2858ca0222814c395cf8248db98f3e096d57dc9; Updex v2.1.3 commit 2661e987faac986f2594d1d9bbbadf1bf3053f5b.