An image is a digital template of a system that can be used to provision virtual machines (VMs) quickly, consistently, and in a reproducible manner. The provided base images include various Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu or openSUSE).

The Linux distributions offered differ primarily in terms of package management, update strategies, and resource requirements. If the kernel version is identical, the same kernel functionality is generally available; differences arise primarily from varying configurations and enabled modules. Virtually any functionality can be replicated in any distribution by installing additional packages. However, differences in repositories and dependencies can lead to increased maintenance effort or package conflicts.

The choice of image depends on the specific use case as well as the available resources (VM flavor and project quota).