mise oci found apk packages in [bootstrap.packages], but…

Error message

mise oci found apk packages in [bootstrap.packages], but the base image does not contain an apk database. Use an Alpine/Wolfi base image or remove the apk entries.

What it means

`prepare_apk_install` checks that the base image rootfs contains an apk database (`/etc/apk` and `/lib/apk/db`) before installing apk packages. If apk entries are requested but the base image is not Alpine-family, mise bails with this error.

Solutions

Switch the base image to an Alpine/Wolfi variant in the oci config.
Remove the apk entries from `[bootstrap.packages]` and switch them to apt for a Debian/Ubuntu base.
Drop the system packages entirely if the base image already provides them.

Example fix

# before (mise.toml, Debian base)
[bootstrap.packages]
apk = ["curl"]

# after
[bootstrap.packages]
apt = ["curl"]

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if ((cfg.bootstrap?.packages?.apk ?? []).length > 0 && !/^(alpine|wolfi|chainguard)/.test(baseImage)) console.warn('apk packages declared but base image lacks an apk database');

Try / catch

try { await miseOciBuild(cfg) } catch (e) { if (String(e).includes('apk database')) { console.error('Switch base image to Alpine/Wolfi or use apt entries.'); process.exit(1); } throw e; }

Prevention

Match package-manager keys in `[bootstrap.packages]` to the base image distro.
When changing base images, audit `[bootstrap.packages]` in the same PR.
Add a CI check that asserts distro and manager key agree.

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `mise oci build` with apk entries in `[bootstrap.packages]` while `prepare_and_snapshot` -> `prepare_apk_install` finds the rootfs missing `/etc/apk` or `/lib/apk/db` (e.g. Debian/Ubuntu base).

Common situations: Selecting a Debian base image but keeping apk-formatted package entries; copying an Alpine-oriented mise.toml onto a Debian-based project.

Understand the failure class

Background: "is not a compatible type" / "cannot merge" errors: when a value's type doesn't match what the library requires — this error's family across 65 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of jdx/mise@533346cc37 (2026-09-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/64816ae6a0689aad. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/oci/packages.rs:344

            return Err(e).wrap_err_with(|| format!("reading metadata for {}", path.display()));
        }
    }
    Ok(())
}

fn prepare_apt_install(rootfs: &Path) -> Result<()> {
    if !rootfs.join("etc/apt").is_dir() {
        bail!(
            "mise oci found apt packages in [bootstrap.packages], but the base image does not \
             contain /etc/apt. Use a Debian/Ubuntu base image or remove the apt entries."
        );
    }
    prepare_apt_rootfs(rootfs)
}

fn prepare_apk_install(rootfs: &Path) -> Result<()> {
    if !rootfs.join("etc/apk").is_dir() || !rootfs.join("lib/apk/db").is_dir() {
        bail!(
            "mise oci found apk packages in [bootstrap.packages], but the base image does not \
             contain an apk database. Use an Alpine/Wolfi base image or remove the apk entries."
        );
    }
    Ok(())
}

fn apk_install_into_rootfs(
    rootfs: &Path,
    requests: &[PackageRequest],
    architecture: &str,
) -> Result<()> {
    let mut args = vec![
        "--root".to_string(),
        rootfs.display().to_string(),
        "--arch".to_string(),
        apk_architecture(architecture)?.to_string(),
        "--no-cache".to_string(),

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