proxmox/docs/11-references/TEMPLATE_BASE_WORKFLOW.md

# Using Templates as Base for Multiple LXC Deployments

**Last Updated:** 2026-01-31  
**Document Version:** 1.0  
**Status:** Active Documentation

---

## Overview

Yes, you can absolutely use a template (created by `all-templates.sh` or any official Proxmox template) as a base for deploying multiple LXC containers. There are two main approaches:

## Approach 1: Use Official Template Directly (Recommended)

This is the most common approach - use the official Proxmox template directly for each deployment.

### How It Works

1. **Download template once** (if not already available):
   ```bash
   pveam download local debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst
   ```

2. **Deploy multiple containers** from the same template:
   ```bash
   # Container 1
   pct create 100 local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst \
     --hostname container1 --memory 2048 --cores 2
   
   # Container 2
   pct create 101 local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst \
     --hostname container2 --memory 2048 --cores 2
   
   # Container 3
   pct create 102 local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst \
     --hostname container3 --memory 4096 --cores 4
   ```

### Advantages

- ✅ Fast deployments (template is reused)
- ✅ Clean slate for each container
- ✅ Official templates are maintained and updated
- ✅ Less storage overhead (linked clones possible)

### Example from Codebase

Looking at `smom-dbis-138-proxmox/scripts/deployment/deploy-services.sh`, this approach is used:

```bash
pct create "$vmid" \
    "${CONTAINER_OS_TEMPLATE:-local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst}" \
    --storage "${PROXMOX_STORAGE:-local-lvm}" \
    --hostname "$hostname" \
    --memory "$memory" \
    --cores "$cores" \
    --rootfs "${PROXMOX_STORAGE:-local-lvm}:${disk}" \
    --net0 "$network_config"
```

## Approach 2: Create Custom Template from Base Container

If you need a pre-configured base with specific packages or configurations.

### Workflow

1. **Create a base container** using `all-templates.sh`:
   ```bash
   bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/main/tools/addon/all-templates.sh)"
   # Select: debian-12-standard
   ```

2. **Customize the base container**:
   ```bash
   # Enter the container
   pct enter <CTID>
   
   # Install common packages, configure settings, etc.
   apt update && apt upgrade -y
   apt install -y curl wget git vim htop
   
   # Configure base settings
   # ... your customizations ...
   
   # Exit container
   exit
   ```

3. **Stop the container**:
   ```bash
   pct stop <CTID>
   ```

4. **Convert container to template**:
   ```bash
   pct template <CTID>
   ```

5. **Deploy multiple containers from your custom template**:
   ```bash
   # Use the template (it's now at local:vztmpl/vm-<CTID>.tar.gz)
   pct create 200 local:vztmpl/vm-<CTID>.tar.gz \
     --hostname app1 --memory 2048
   
   pct create 201 local:vztmpl/vm-<CTID>.tar.gz \
     --hostname app2 --memory 2048
   ```

### Advantages

- ✅ Pre-configured with your common packages
- ✅ Faster deployment (less setup per container)
- ✅ Consistent base configuration
- ✅ Custom applications/tools pre-installed

### Considerations

- ⚠️ Template becomes static (won't get OS updates automatically)
- ⚠️ Requires maintenance if you need to update base packages
- ⚠️ Larger template size (includes your customizations)

## Approach 3: Clone Existing Container

For quick duplication of an existing container:

```bash
# Clone container 100 to new container 200
pct clone 100 200 --hostname new-container
```

This creates a linked clone (space-efficient) or full clone depending on storage capabilities.

## Recommended Workflow for Your Use Case

Based on the codebase patterns, here's the recommended approach:

### For Standard Deployments

**Use official templates directly** - This is what most scripts in the codebase do:

```bash
# Set your base template
CONTAINER_OS_TEMPLATE="local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst"

# Deploy multiple containers with different configurations
for i in {1..5}; do
  pct create $((100+i)) "$CONTAINER_OS_TEMPLATE" \
    --hostname "app-$i" \
    --memory 2048 \
    --cores 2 \
    --rootfs local-lvm:20 \
    --net0 name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,ip=dhcp
done
```

### For Pre-Configured Bases

If you need a customized base:

1. Create one container from `all-templates.sh`
2. Customize it with common packages/configurations
3. Convert to template: `pct template <CTID>`
4. Use that template for all future deployments

## Example: Batch Deployment Script

Here's a script that deploys multiple containers from a base template:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# deploy-multiple-containers.sh

BASE_TEMPLATE="${CONTAINER_OS_TEMPLATE:-local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst}"
START_CTID=100

declare -A CONTAINERS=(
  ["web1"]="2048:2:20"
  ["web2"]="2048:2:20"
  ["db1"]="4096:4:50"
  ["app1"]="2048:2:30"
)

for hostname in "${!CONTAINERS[@]}"; do
  IFS=':' read -r memory cores disk <<< "${CONTAINERS[$hostname]}"
  CTID=$((START_CTID++))
  
  echo "Creating $hostname (CTID: $CTID)..."
  pct create $CTID "$BASE_TEMPLATE" \
    --hostname "$hostname" \
    --memory "$memory" \
    --cores "$cores" \
    --rootfs local-lvm:"$disk" \
    --net0 name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,ip=dhcp \
    --unprivileged 1 \
    --features nesting=1,keyctl=1
  
  pct start $CTID
  echo "✓ $hostname created and started"
done
```

## Summary

- ✅ **Yes, templates can be the base for all LXC deployments**
- ✅ **Official templates** (from `all-templates.sh`) are best for standard deployments
- ✅ **Custom templates** (from `pct template`) are best for pre-configured bases
- ✅ **Cloning** (`pct clone`) is best for quick duplication

The codebase already uses this pattern extensively - templates are reused for multiple container deployments, making it efficient and consistent.