docker/cli · error

archive format is invalid

Error message

archive format is invalid

What it means

Error "archive format is invalid" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/context/store/store.go:515

func parseMetadata(data []byte, name string) (Metadata, error) {
	var meta Metadata
	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &meta); err != nil {
		return meta, err
	}
	if err := ValidateContextName(name); err != nil {
		return Metadata{}, err
	}
	meta.Name = name
	return meta, nil
}

func importEndpointTLS(tlsData *ContextTLSData, tlsPath string, data []byte) error {
	parts := strings.SplitN(strings.TrimPrefix(tlsPath, "tls/"), "/", 2)
	if len(parts) != 2 {
		// TLS endpoints require archived file directory with 2 layers
		// i.e. tls/{endpointName}/{fileName}
		return errors.New("archive format is invalid")
	}

	epName := parts[0]
	fileName := parts[1]
	if _, ok := tlsData.Endpoints[epName]; !ok {
		tlsData.Endpoints[epName] = EndpointTLSData{
			Files: map[string][]byte{},
		}
	}
	tlsData.Endpoints[epName].Files[fileName] = data
	return nil
}

type contextdir string

func contextdirOf(name string) contextdir {
	return contextdir(digest.FromString(name).Encoded())
}

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/context/store/store.go:515 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of docker/cli@e9452d6e78 (2026-08-01). Data as JSON: /data/errors/896a4139874f815b.json. Report an issue: GitHub.