// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// * microshift_install_get_ready/microshift-install-get-ready.adoc

:_mod-docs-content-type: CONCEPT
[id="microshift-install-rhel-tools-concepts_{context}"]
= {op-system-base} installation tools and concepts

[role="_abstract"]
To successfully construct and deploy a custom {microshift-short} image, you must understand the core {op-system-base} components involved in the deployment process.

Review the following resources to familiarize yourself with the required image building components:

* A Kickstart file, which contains the configuration and instructions used during the installation of your specific operating system. For more information, see the following link:

** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_build_of_microshift/latest/html/using_rhel_kickstarts/microshift-rhel-kickstarts[Using Kickstart files for installing {microshift-short} in {op-system-base}]

* {op-system-base} image builder is a tool for creating deployment-ready customized system images. {op-system-base} image builder uses a blueprint that you create to make the ISO. {op-system-base} image builder is best installed on a {op-system-base} VM and is built with the `composer-cli` tool. To set up these tools and review the workflow, see the following {op-system-base} documentation links:

** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/composing_a_customized_rhel_system_image/creating-system-images-with-composer-command-line-interface_composing-a-customized-rhel-system-image#composer-command-line-interface_creating-system-images-with-composer-command-line-interface[Introducing the RHEL image builder command-line interface]
** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/composing_a_customized_rhel_system_image/installing-composer_composing-a-customized-rhel-system-image[Installing image builder]
** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/composing_a_customized_rhel_system_image/creating-system-images-with-composer-command-line-interface_composing-a-customized-rhel-system-image#creating-a-system-image-with-composer-in-the-command-line-interface_creating-system-images-with-composer-command-line-interface[Creating a system image with RHEL image builder in the command-line interface]

* A blueprint file directs {op-system-base} image builder to the items to include in the ISO. An image blueprint provides a persistent definition of image customizations. You can create multiple builds from a single blueprint. You can also edit an existing blueprint to build a new ISO as requirements change. See the following link for more information:

** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/composing_a_customized_rhel_system_image/creating-system-images-with-composer-command-line-interface_composing-a-customized-rhel-system-image#creating-a-composer-blueprint-with-command-line-interface_creating-system-images-with-composer-command-line-interface[Creating a blueprint by using the command-line interface]

* An ISO, which is the bootable operating system on which {microshift-short} runs. See the following links for more information:

** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/composing_a_customized_rhel_system_image/creating-a-boot-iso-installer-image-with-image-builder_composing-a-customized-rhel-system-image#creating-a-boot-iso-installer-image-with-image-builder-in-the-command-line-interface_creating-a-boot-iso-installer-image-with-image-builder[Creating a boot ISO installer image using the RHEL image builder CLI]
** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/composing_a_customized_rhel_system_image/creating-a-boot-iso-installer-image-with-image-builder_composing-a-customized-rhel-system-image#installing-the-iso-to-a-bare-metal-system_creating-a-boot-iso-installer-image-with-image-builder[Installing a bootable ISO to a media and booting it]
** link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_build_of_microshift/latest/html/embedding_in_a_rhel_for_edge_image/microshift-embed-in-rpm-ostree[Embedding in a {op-system-ostree} image using image builder]
