abiosoft/colima · error

error applying nerdctl script template

Error message

error applying nerdctl script template: %w

What it means

Installing the nerdctl wrapper renders an embedded Go text/template (nerdctlScript) with values {ColimaApp: osutil.Executable(), Profile: config.CurrentProfile().ShortName}. This error fires when the template fails to parse or execute — i.e. it references a field not present on the values struct, or the embedded template asset is corrupted. It is an internal invariant break, not an environment condition.

Solutions

1. If you patched the template: ensure every {{.Field}} exists on the values struct (ColimaApp, Profile) and the syntax is valid text/template
2. Rebuild from a clean checkout: check `git status` for modified embedded assets, then rebuild/reinstall the release binary
3. If using a released binary, report it — released templates should always render; meanwhile write the wrapper script manually

Example fix

// before
template: `#!/bin/sh
exec {{.ColimaApp}} nerdctl --profile {{.ProfileName}} "$@"`

// after
template: `#!/bin/sh
exec {{.ColimaApp}} nerdctl --profile {{.Profile}} "$@"`

// template authors: unit-test that the embedded template renders with the values struct
func TestNerdctlTemplateRenders(t *testing.T) {
    _, err := util.ParseTemplate(nerdctlScript, struct{ ColimaApp, Profile string }{"colima", "default"})
    if err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
}

// narrow template failures precisely
var execErr template.ExecError
if errors.As(err, &execErr) {
    // a field was missing on the values struct; execErr.Name identifies the failing node
}

buf, err := util.ParseTemplate(nerdctlScript, values)
if err != nil {
    var execErr template.ExecError
    if errors.As(err, &execErr) {
        return fmt.Errorf("nerdctl template references unknown field in %q", execErr.Name)
    }
    return fmt.Errorf("error applying nerdctl script template: %w", err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: A modified nerdctlScript template referencing fields other than .ColimaApp/.Profile; a build whose embedded template got corrupted or tampered with; go:embed changes dropping the script file so ParseTemplate reads garbage.

Common situations: Contributors editing the template during development; CI builds from a dirty tree; essentially never seen in released binaries.

Related errors

• cannot make dir
• error at
• error backing up existing file
• error marshaling store
• error reading ssh config

AI-assisted analysis of abiosoft/colima@c3a5f9184d (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e616ab296b94faec. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cmd/nerdctl.go:119

		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
			exists := false
			if _, err := os.Stat(nerdctlCmdArgs.path); err == nil && !nerdctlCmdArgs.force && !nerdctlCmdArgs.isColimaScript {
				return fmt.Errorf("%s exists, use --force to replace", nerdctlCmdArgs.path)
			} else if err == nil {
				exists = true
			}

			var values = struct {
				ColimaApp string
				Profile   string
			}{
				ColimaApp: osutil.Executable(),
				Profile:   config.CurrentProfile().ShortName,
			}
			buf, err := util.ParseTemplate(nerdctlScript, values)
			if err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("error applying nerdctl script template: %w", err)
			}

			// /usr/local/bin writeable i.e. sudo not needed
			// or user-specified install path, we assume user specified path is writeable
			if nerdctlCmdArgs.usrBinWriteable || nerdctlCmdArgs.path != nerdctlDefaultInstallPath {
				if exists {
					if err := os.Rename(nerdctlCmdArgs.path, nerdctlCmdArgs.path+".moved"); err != nil {
						return fmt.Errorf("error backing up existing file: %w", err)
					}
				}
				if err := fsutil.MkdirAll("/usr/local/bin", 0755); err != nil {
					return nil
				}
				return os.WriteFile(nerdctlCmdArgs.path, buf, 0755)
			}

			// sudo is needed for the default path
			log.Println("/usr/local/bin not writable, sudo password required to install nerdctl binary")

View on GitHub (pinned to c3a5f9184d)