Layered container software updates in resource-constrained edge devices

A system comprising:

• one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;
• receiving a plurality of container snapshots for operating an edge device, wherein the container snapshots include an operating system (OS) snapshot and a plurality of application snapshots;
• writing the OS snapshot into a read-only partition;
• writing the plurality of application snapshots into a writable partition as a plurality of overlay mounted container snapshot layers;
• obtaining metadata for each of the plurality of application snapshots;
• generating a merged collection of metadata using the metadata for each of the plurality of snapshots;
• executing the OS snapshot including a container runtime tool;
• and
• executing, using the container runtime tool, one or more containers using the plurality of overlay mounted container snapshot layers.

One or more non-transitory computer storage media encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a plurality of container snapshots for operating an edge device, wherein the container snapshots include an operating system (OS) snapshot and a plurality of application snapshots;
• writing the OS snapshot into a read-only partition;
• writing the plurality of application snapshots into a writable partition as a plurality of overlay mounted container snapshot layers;
• obtaining metadata for each of the plurality of application snapshots;
• generating a merged collection of metadata using the metadata for each of the plurality of snapshots;
• executing the OS snapshot including a container runtime tool;
• and
• executing, using the container runtime tool, one or more containers using the plurality of overlay mounted container snapshot layers.