lima

(★ 21,727)

Linux virtual machines, with a focus on running containers

File Explorer

Download Latest Version (.zip)

- - bug_report.yaml
  - config.yml
  - feature_request.yaml
- - codeql.yaml
  - lint-quick.yml
  - release.yml
  - scorecard.yml
  - spell.yml
  - test.yml
- dependabot.yml
- - main_darwin_arm64.go
- - main.go
- - main_darwin.go
- - main_windows.go
- - daemon_linux.go
  - fake_cloud_init_darwin.go
  - install_systemd_linux.go
  - lima-guestagent.TEMPLATE.service
  - main.go
  - root_darwin.go
  - root_linux.go
  - root_others.go
- - autostart.go
  - autostart_darwin.go
  - autostart_others.go
  - clone.go
  - completion.go
  - copy.go
  - debug.go
  - delete.go
  - disk.go
  - edit.go
  - factory-reset.go
  - gendoc.go
  - genschema.go
  - guest-install.go
  - hostagent.go
  - info.go
  - list.go
  - main.go
  - main_darwin.go
  - main_darwin_gui.go
  - main_qemu.go
  - main_windows.go
  - network.go
  - protect.go
  - prune.go
  - restart.go
  - screenshot.go
  - shell.go
  - shell_test.go
  - show-ssh.go
  - snapshot.go
  - start-at-login.go
  - start-at-login_unix.go
  - start-at-login_windows.go
  - start.go
  - start_test.go
  - stop.go
  - sudoers.go
  - sudoers_darwin.go
  - sudoers_nodarwin.go
  - tab_completion.go
  - tab_completion_test.go
  - template.go
  - tunnel.go
  - unprotect.go
  - usernet.go
  - watch.go
  - yq_restrictions.go
- - main.go
- - yq.go
- apptainer.lima
- docker.lima
- kubectl.lima
- lima
- lima.bat
- limactl-url-fedora-rawhide
- nerdctl.lima
- podman.lima
- - lima-logo-01.svg
- - Ada-Logics-Lima-fuzzing-audit-2024.pdf
- README.md
- - README.md
- - debugserver
- - protoc.sh
- - bash.txt
  - dockerfile.txt
  - go.txt
  - makefile.txt
- - alpine-iso-9p-writable.yaml
  - net-user-v2.yaml
  - test-misc.yaml
- - go.mod
  - go.sum
  - pinversion.go
- allowed-licenses.txt
- ansible-test.yaml
- brew-install-version.sh
- cache-common-inc.sh
- calculate-cache.sh
- common.inc.sh
- debug-cache.sh
- inject-cmdline-to-template.sh
- install-qemu.sh
- oss-fuzz-build.sh
- test-mount-home.sh
- test-nonplain-static-port-forward.sh
- test-plain-static-port-forward.sh
- test-port-forwarding.pl
- test-selinux.sh
- test-templates.sh
- test-upgrade.sh
- toolexec-for-codesign.sh
- update-template-almalinux-kitten.sh
- update-template-almalinux.sh
- update-template-alpine.sh
- update-template-archlinux.sh
- update-template-centos-stream.sh
- update-template-debian.sh
- update-template-fedora.sh
- update-template-freebsd.sh
- update-template-macos.sh
- update-template-opensuse.sh
- update-template-oraclelinux.sh
- update-template-rocky.sh
- update-template-ubuntu.sh
- update-template.sh
- validate-artifact.sh
- - chown.go
  - chown_darwin_test.go
  - fletcher64.go
  - fletcher64_test.go
  - types.go
- - autostart.go
  - autostart_test.go
  - managers.go
  - managers_darwin.go
  - managers_linux.go
  - managers_others.go
- - bicopy.go
- - cacheutil.go
- - cidata.go
  - cidata_test.go
  - cloud-config.yaml
  - fuzz_test.go
  - template.go
  - template_test.go
- - copytool.go
  - copytool_test.go
  - rsync.go
  - scp.go
- - debugutil.go
- - downloader.go
  - downloader_test.go
  - fuzz_test.go
- - driver.go
- - disk.go
  - disk_test.go
  - instance.go
  - vm.go
- - editutil.go
- - envutil.go
  - envutil_others.go
  - envutil_test.go
  - envutil_windows.go
  - envutil_windows_test.go
- - command.go
  - opts_others.go
  - opts_windows.go
- - download.go
- - freeport.go
  - freeport_unix.go
  - freeport_windows.go
- - fsutil_linux.go
  - fsutil_others.go
  - fsutil_unix.go
  - fsutil_windows.go
  - fsutil_windows_test.go
- - guestagent.go
  - guestagent_linux.go
- - ga_sock_forward_test.go
  - hostagent.go
  - hostagent_unix.go
  - hostagent_windows.go
  - inotify.go
  - inotify_darwin.go
  - inotify_linux.go
  - inotify_others.go
  - inotify_test.go
  - mount.go
  - mount_windows_test.go
  - port.go
  - port_darwin.go
  - port_others.go
  - port_test.go
  - port_windows.go
  - requirements.go
  - timesync.go
- - httpclientutil.go
  - httpclientutil_others.go
  - httpclientutil_windows.go
- - httputil.go
- - validate.go
  - validate_test.go
- - manager.go
- - ansible.go
  - clone.go
  - create.go
  - delete.go
  - restart.go
  - start.go
  - start_unix.go
  - start_windows.go
  - stop.go
- - ioutilx.go
- - fuzz_test.go
  - iso9660util.go
  - joliet.go
- - jsonschemautil.go
  - jsonschemautil_test.go
- - limactlutil.go
- - limainfo.go
- - abs.go
  - abs_test.go
  - embed.go
  - embed_test.go
  - github.go
  - github_test.go
  - locator.go
  - locator_test.go
  - template.go
- - lima_instance.go
  - lima_yaml.go
- - containerd.yaml
  - default.yaml
  - defaults.go
  - defaults_test.go
  - defaults_unix.go
  - defaults_unix_test.go
  - defaults_windows.go
  - limayaml_test.go
  - load.go
  - load_test.go
  - marshal.go
  - marshal_test.go
  - validate.go
  - validate_test.go
  - validate_unix_test.go
- - localpathutil.go
  - localpathutil_test.go
- - lockutil_test.go
  - lockutil_unix.go
  - lockutil_windows.go
- - logrusutil.go
  - logrusutil_test.go
- - must.go
  - must_test.go
- - commands.go
  - commands_darwin_test.go
  - commands_test.go
  - config.go
  - config_test.go
  - const.go
  - networks.go
  - networks.TEMPLATE.yaml
  - sudoers.go
  - validate.go
  - validate_test.go
- - dns_darwin.go
  - dns_others.go
  - exit.go
  - file.go
  - file_test.go
  - machineid.go
  - machineid_test.go
  - mount_darwin.go
  - osutil_linux.go
  - osutil_others.go
  - osutil_unix.go
  - osutil_windows.go
  - osversion_darwin.go
  - osversion_others.go
  - rosetta_darwin.go
  - rosetta_others.go
  - user.go
  - user_test.go
- - plist.go
  - plist_test.go
- - plugins.go
- - client.go
  - client_test.go
  - control_others.go
  - control_windows.go
  - forward.go
  - listener.go
  - listener_darwin.go
  - listener_others.go
- - server.go
  - server_test.go
- - progressbar.go
- - ptr.go
  - ptr_test.go
- - qemuimgutil.go
  - qemuimgutil_test.go
- - reflectutil.go
  - reflectutil_test.go
- - registry.go
  - registry_test.go
- - snapshot.go
- - format.go
  - format_test.go
  - sshutil.go
  - sshutil_test.go
  - sshutil_windows_test.go
- - disk.go
  - disk_test.go
  - fuzz_test.go
  - instance.go
  - instance_test.go
  - store.go
  - store_test.go
- - strutil.go
  - strutil_test.go
- - network_darwin.go
  - sysprof_darwin.go
- - templatestore.go
- - textutil.go
  - textutil_test.go
- - uiutil.go
- - usrlocal.go
- - version.go
- - process_windows.go
  - registry_windows.go
  - wsl_util_windows.go
- - fuzz_test.go
  - yqutil.go
  - yqutil_test.go
- - mounts.yaml
- - almalinux-10.yaml
  - almalinux-8.yaml
  - almalinux-9.yaml
  - almalinux-kitten-10.yaml
  - alpine-3.21.yaml
  - alpine-3.22.yaml
  - alpine-3.23.yaml
  - alpine-iso.yaml
  - archlinux.yaml
  - centos-stream-10.yaml
  - centos-stream-9.yaml
  - debian-11.yaml
  - debian-12.yaml
  - debian-13.yaml
  - fedora-41.yaml
  - fedora-42.yaml
  - fedora-43.yaml
  - fedora-44.yaml
  - fedora.yaml
  - freebsd-15.yaml
  - freebsd.yaml
  - macos-15.yaml
  - macos-26.yaml
  - macos.yaml
  - opensuse-leap-15.yaml
  - opensuse-leap-16.yaml
  - opensuse-leap.yaml
  - oraclelinux-10.yaml
  - oraclelinux-8.yaml
  - oraclelinux-9.yaml
  - rocky-10.yaml
  - rocky-8.yaml
  - rocky-9.yaml
  - ubuntu-20.04.yaml
  - ubuntu-22.04.yaml
  - ubuntu-24.04.yaml
  - ubuntu-24.10.yaml
  - ubuntu-25.04.yaml
  - ubuntu-25.10.yaml
  - ubuntu-26.04.yaml
  - ubuntu-lts.yaml
  - ubuntu.yaml
- - almalinux-kitten-10.yaml
  - almalinux-kitten.yaml
  - alsa.yaml
  - debian-sid.yaml
  - fedora-rawhide.yaml
  - freebsd-16.yaml
  - freebsd-current.yaml
  - gentoo.yaml
  - opensuse-tumbleweed.yaml
  - rke2.yaml
  - u7s.yaml
  - ubuntu-26.10.yaml
  - ubuntu-next.yaml
  - vnc.yaml
  - wsl2.yaml
- almalinux-10.yaml
- almalinux-8.yaml
- almalinux-9.yaml
- almalinux.yaml
- alpine-3.21.yaml
- alpine-3.22.yaml
- alpine-3.23.yaml
- alpine-iso.yaml
- alpine.yaml
- apptainer-rootful.yaml
- apptainer.yaml
- archlinux.yaml
- buildkit.yaml
- centos-stream-10.yaml
- centos-stream-9.yaml
- centos-stream.yaml
- debian-11.yaml
- debian-12.yaml
- debian-13.yaml
- debian.yaml
- default.yaml
- docker-rootful.yaml
- docker.yaml
- faasd.yaml
- fedora-41.yaml
- fedora-42.yaml
- fedora-43.yaml
- fedora-44.yaml
- fedora.yaml
- freebsd-15.yaml
- freebsd.yaml
- homebrew-linux.yaml
- homebrew-macos.yaml
- k0s.yaml
- k3s.yaml
- k8s.yaml
- linuxbrew.yaml
- macos-15.yaml
- macos-26.yaml
- macos.yaml
- opensuse-leap-15.yaml
- opensuse-leap-16.yaml
- opensuse-leap.yaml
- opensuse.yaml
- oraclelinux-10.yaml
- oraclelinux-8.yaml
- oraclelinux-9.yaml
- oraclelinux.yaml
- podman-rootful.yaml
- podman.yaml
- README.md
- rocky-10.yaml
- rocky-8.yaml
- rocky-9.yaml
- rocky.yaml
- ubuntu-20.04.yaml
- ubuntu-22.04.yaml
- ubuntu-24.04.yaml
- ubuntu-24.10.yaml
- ubuntu-25.04.yaml
- ubuntu-25.10.yaml
- ubuntu-26.04.yaml
- ubuntu-lts.yaml
- ubuntu.yaml
- windows-11.yaml
- windows-2025.yaml
- windows.yaml
- - adopters.yaml
  - helpfullinks.yaml
- - 404.html
- .gitignore
- .nvmrc
- config.yaml
- go.mod
- go.sum
- hugo.toml
- Makefile
- netlify.toml
- package-lock.json
- package.json
- README.md
.codespellrc
.editorconfig
.gitignore
.gitmodules
.golangci.yml
.ls-lint.yml
.markdownlint.json
.protolint.yaml
.shellcheckrc
.yamllint
ADOPTERS.md
AGENTS.md
CLAUDE.md
go.mod
go.sum
LICENSE
MAINTAINERS.md
Makefile
NOTICE
README.md
ROADMAP.md
vz.entitlements

🚀 Installation Guide

1. Get the code

git clone https://github.com/lima-vm/lima

Downloads the entire project code from GitHub to your computer.

cd lima

Moves into the project folder you just downloaded.

2. Official Install Script

Easy Recommended

Prerequisites

Homebrew A package manager for macOS/Linux.

brew install lima

Installs the pre-built package via Homebrew — no source build required.

✅ After installing, open a new terminal and run the program's version command (e.g. --version) to confirm it worked.

Pulled directly from this repo's README.

3. Docker

Easy

Prerequisites

Git Needed to download the project code from GitHub.
Docker Desktop Needed to build and run containers. Install it and keep it running in the background.

limactl start template:docker

Type this command into your terminal and run it.

export DOCKER_HOST=$(limactl list docker --format 'unix://{{.Dir}}/sock/docker.sock')

Type this command into your terminal and run it.

docker run --rm hello-world

Runs the built image as an actual container.

✅ Run docker compose ps to check the containers are Up. If the README mentions a port, open http://localhost:PORT in your browser.

Pulled directly from this repo's README.

4. Node.js

Easy

Prerequisites

Git Needed to download the project code from GitHub.
Node.js Node.js must be installed to use npm. The LTS version is recommended.

cd website

This project's files live in a subfolder, so move into it first.

npm install

Downloads and installs the libraries listed in package.json.

npm start

Starts the development/run server.

✅ After running the command, open the address shown in the terminal (usually something like http://localhost:3000) in your browser.

5. Go

Medium

Prerequisites

Git Needed to download the project code from GitHub.
Go The Go compiler and toolchain.

go build ./...

Compiles the Go program into an executable.

go run .

Runs the Go program directly without a separate build step.

✅ If the build finishes without errors, it worked. If you used go run ., check the terminal output.

6. Make

Medium

Prerequisites

Git Needed to download the project code from GitHub.
Make Usually pre-installed on Linux/macOS. On Windows, install separately (e.g. via MSYS2 or WSL).

make

Compiles the code based on the generated build configuration to produce an executable.

✅ If it finishes without errors, it worked. Try running the generated executable directly.

lima

File Explorer

🚀 Installation Guide

2. Official Install Script

3. Docker

4. Node.js

5. Go

6. Make

Today's picks

Was this content helpful?

Recent Feedback

lima

File Explorer

🚀 Installation Guide

2. Official Install Script

3. Docker

4. Node.js

5. Go

6. Make

Today's picks

Was this content helpful?

Recent Feedback

Download README