Where Does Skopeo Store Registry Credentials?
Skopeo authenticates through the shared containers auth file, with no daemon or local image store of its own.
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Skopeo keeps no state beyond shared container config. Registry credentials live in the containers auth file used by the whole toolchain. Copy operations stream between registries without local storage.
That thinness makes Skopeo moves a file copy. System-wide auth sits under /etc with user auth taking precedence. Inspect commands read remote metadata without downloading layers.
Where Skopeo stores this, by platform
~/.config/containers/auth.json
Shared registry credentials for the containers toolchain. User file wins over system. Copy with tight permissions or re-login per registry.
~/.config/containers/auth.json
Same containers auth path on Mac for copy and inspect flows. No daemon or image store exists. Credentials helpers plug in here too.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move container registry logins?
Copy the auth file to the new machine with tight permissions. It holds registry credentials for skopeo, Buildah, and Podman alike. Prefer credential helpers where supported.
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