sow publish

sow publish copies the current Built Generation to a target in the targets: section of sow.yml. The target selects the Repository and storage provider. Build first when the target must include the latest Desired changes.

Synopsis

sow publish TARGET [--abort | --rebind] [-C|--workdir DIR] [-T|--timeout DUR | -N|--no-wait] [--json]

TARGET must name a configured filesystem or r2 publication target. --abort and --rebind are mutually exclusive.

Before publication

Run build first to include the latest package and policy changes. A dirty Repository can still publish its previous completed Built Generation.

Configure the target’s web server or bucket access so that public_endpoint serves the published files. Then run sow publish TARGET.

Publication protocol

SOW verifies the local files against the completed Generation manifest, then publishes in this order:

1. package files;
2. metadata with content-specific URLs;
3. client entry points, such as repomd.xml and Release;
4. public visibility checks and a saved publication checkpoint.

SOW records progress so the same command can resume an interrupted publication. When the target already contains the current Generation, repeating the command changes nothing.

sow publish local
published demo generation=00000000000000000005 to local (filesystem): phase=grace objects=14
sow publish local
publication demo generation=00000000000000000005 to local is already current (noop)

Rebind mutable target settings

The first publication records the Repository and target binding. After changing the target name, public endpoint, or cache TTL, use --rebind to record the updated settings and continue publication:

sow publish prod --rebind

If you renamed the target in targets:, use its new name.

Complete pending target maintenance before changing max_cache_ttl. For a filesystem target, also complete pending deletion before changing public_endpoint. To publish to a new target for the first time, use sow publish TARGET without --rebind.

Abort and recovery

After an interruption, rerun sow publish TARGET to resume the publication.

To abandon the attempt, use sow publish TARGET --abort before it reaches commit_intent. SOW checks the objects already uploaded and records the abandonment. It leaves remote files in place. Once the attempt reaches commit_intent, rerun the ordinary publish command to finish it.

A published package URL identifies fixed content. Use a new package version and filename for changed content. If existing remote files differ from the recorded attempt, follow the reported conflict diagnosis; see Troubleshooting.

Public visibility checks

Before recording a checkpoint, SOW verifies that the published files can be read through public_endpoint. HTTP(S) verification uses ordinary GET requests. Stale or missing content is retried up to max_cache_ttl.

Filesystem targets support file:// or HTTP(S) public endpoints. R2 targets require HTTP(S). Each R2 publication lists the target prefix and checks each object with HEAD; an update performs this inventory check twice. Keep old objects on R2: target GC reports them without deleting them, and later publication checks the prefix against the recorded inventory.

Removing a published view

While a target remains configured, its published entry points must remain available locally. These include Dists, RPM architecture views, and signing companion files.

To retire that target, stop publishing to it, remove its entry from targets: in sow.yml, and run sow config check. You can then remove the local view. This leaves the old remote files and publication history intact. To publish the reduced repository, configure a new target with a different storage prefix and update clients to use it.

Exit behavior

See also

• sow status and sow check — decide whether the Built Generation is the one you intend to deliver
• sow gc — reclaim unused target files
• sow.yml targets — provider configuration
• Publication Model — phases, receipts, recovery, and cache grace