Managing data layer integration for container images

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor set;
• one or more computer-readable storage media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions executable by the processor set to cause the processor set to:
• receive an integration command to integrate at least one reserved patch layer with a target data layer, wherein the target data layer is associated with at least one target container image;
• detect the at least one reserved patch layer in a source repository based on the received integration command;
• obtain patch metadata information of the detected at least one reserved patch layer based on the received integration command;
• determine that the obtained patch metadata information comprises a reserved layer attribute, wherein the reserved layer attribute indicates that the detected at least one reserved patch layer comprises one or more updates to be integrated with the target data layer;
• detect at least one parent layer of the at least one reserved patch layer in at least one target repository of the at least one target container image, wherein the detection of the at least one parent layer is based on the determination that the obtained patch metadata information includes the reserved layer attribute;
• determine that the detected at least one parent layer is one of a base layer of the at least one reserved patch layer or a non-base layer of the at least one reserved patch layer;
• obtain reserved layer content of the detected at least one reserved patch layer based on the determination that the detected at least one parent layer is the base layer of the at least one reserved patch layer;
• and
• integrate the obtained reserved layer content with the target data layer of the at least one target container image.

A computer program product for integrating at least one reserved patch layer with a target data layer, the computer program product comprising:

• one or more computer-readable storage media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media to perform operations comprising:
• receiving an integration command for integrating the at least one reserved patch layer with the target data layer of at least one target container image, wherein the target data layer is associated with the at least one target container image;
• identifying a source repository comprising the at least one reserved patch layer based on the received integration command;
• detecting the at least one reserved patch layer in the identified source repository;
• obtaining patch metadata information of the detected at least one reserved patch layer;
• determining that the obtained patch metadata information comprises a reserved layer attribute, wherein the reserved layer attribute indicates that the detected at least one reserved patch layer comprises one or more updates to be integrated with the target data layer;
• obtaining reserved layer content of the detected at least one reserved patch layer based on the determination that the obtained patch metadata information comprises the reserved layer attribute;
• and
• integrating the obtained reserved layer content with the target data layer of the at least one target container image.