> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://buildcharts.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Summary

> Create build summaries using Docker build history.

`buildcharts summary` turns the latest Docker Buildx history into BuildCharts output files you can read, upload, and inspect later.

## What summary does

After a Docker build, `buildcharts summary`:

* Reads the latest Docker Buildx history
* Reads your `build.yml` and chart config
* Writes `.buildcharts/output/SUMMARY.md`
* Writes `.buildcharts/output/buildcharts.dockerbuild`

This gives you both a human-readable summary and a portable Buildx record you can inspect later.

## Usage

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"plastic","dark":"plastic"}}
buildcharts generate
docker buildx bake --file .buildcharts/docker-bake.hcl
buildcharts summary
```

`summary` requires an existing Buildx history entry. If no build has run yet, the command fails and tells you to run a build first.

## Output files

### `SUMMARY.md`

`.buildcharts/output/SUMMARY.md` is the readable summary output.

Common uses:

* A short build summary in CI artifacts
* A markdown summary you can publish in job output
* A simpler view than raw Buildx logs

### `buildcharts.dockerbuild`

`.buildcharts/output/buildcharts.dockerbuild` is an exported Buildx history bundle.

Common uses:

* To inspect the build later in Docker Desktop
* To move a CI build record to another machine
* To debug a completed build without rerunning it immediately

## CI integration

`buildcharts summary` also integrates with common CI systems:

| CI system      | Behavior                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| GitHub Actions | Appends the generated markdown to `GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY`                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Azure DevOps   | Uploads the summary and `.dockerbuild` bundle as artifacts and publishes the summary to the job output when `TF_BUILD=true`. See [Azure Pipelines logging commands](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/scripts/logging-commands?view=azure-devops). |

## Why use it

Summary is useful when you want BuildCharts-friendly output after the build has already completed.

It gives you:

* A stable markdown artifact
* A portable Buildx build record
* A cleaner handoff between build execution and troubleshooting

## Related pages

* [Command-line interface](/cli)
* [Docker builds](/core-features/docker-builds)
* [Use buildx history](/troubleshooting/buildx-history)