Fix: standard_init_linux.go:228: exec user process caused: exec format error

In this post, we’ll discuss the error “standard_init_linux.go:228: exec user process caused: exec format error” and offer two fixes.

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Programming and development of software, in general, has made significant progress from the early Assembly days. Nowadays, software development is more efficient and straightforward than ever due to the variety of techniques and frameworks available worldwide.

However, this doesn’t mean that those pesky bugs and errors can’t continue to occur.

Checking Startup Standard_init_linux.go:228:

It’s a simple issue that is not understood by many. Your entry point must be able to run. If you don’t, you’ll run into issues like this. All you need to do is to add this line at the beginning of the script. Be aware that this method is only available for Python.

When there are problems with the executable file format, Docker throws the error standard_init_linux.go:228: exec user process caused: exec format error.

These explanations might be the cause of this:

It is unnecessary to add #!/bin/bash at the top of the shell files.
It is possible to add a space between the shebang (#!/bin/bash).
The encoding of characters in Newline is incorrect (LF/CRLF)
Use #!/bin/bash instead for images of alpine.

Architecture Mismatch

In the next step, please ensure the architecture you’re building your Docker on and the architecture you’re building it on is the same. For instance, if running an x86 build image on an arm64 computer, you’ll get this error.

The solution is to rebuild the image with the target architecture. It is the case for any language or architectural system.

If the architecture of the image and the machine are compatible, you’re safe to go.

Make sure to add the platform to the build command and the version tag.
Script encoding issue – UTF8 + BOM
Error due to #!/bin/bash

There are some things to know about shebang.

There shouldn’t be any other text before it. Shebang must be the primary line within the file for the shell.

Make sure there are no blank lines, spaces, or hidden characters.

Make sure to include it in shell files. It confirms that the file can be executed.
Make sure you use the correct option. You should use #!/bin/bash if the file is bash. If it’s a shell file, use #!/bin/sh, and if it’s an alpine image, then use #!/bin/ash.
Don’t forget the #. People tend to ignore it.

Character Encoding (LF/CRLF) Standard_init_linux.go:228:

The character encoding process is a lone wolf that can cause a myriad of problems with programming. It happens because of the latest style of line designs in different operating systems. For instance –

Windows utilizes the CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed).

Linux uses LF (Line Feed).

When you write codes using Windows, The files are encoded using CRLF encoders. Once you have them deployed on a Linux container, it causes encoder issues.

Sometimes this creates standard_init_linux.go:228: exec user process caused: exec format error. Therefore, it’s a great practice to switch the encoding preference in code editors like Vscode and Notepad++ to LF when using Windows.

The most typical problem is with the exec format error. Be aware of these issues to fix them issue.

Apple M1 is not of the same architecture as the Intel processor. Apple M1 has AMD64 architecture while Intel has ARM.

Check to see if your operating system is 32 or 64 bits.
It is impossible to build images using ARM and run them on AMD64.
The solution is to utilize build, a utility from Docker —

# Build for ARM64

docker buildx build --platform=linux/arm64 -t : -arm64 .

# Build for AMD64

docker buildx build --platform=linux/amd64 -t : -amd64 .

Ccript Encoding (UTF8 + BOM)

The script encoding may cause issues, notably, on Windows systems. Therefore, you’ll have to verify if the executable file is saved in UTF8 or as UTF8+BOM. BOM is a reference to Byte Order Mark. In general, UTF8 files are perfect.

The solutions mentioned above will resolve your error of standard_init_linux.go:228: exec user process caused: exec format. The first step is to look at the ARM and x86 architecture problems. Verify that the image was designed to your Docker architecture.