Repolode
Submit
lima-vm

lima-vm/lima

Launches Linux virtual machines on macOS and other hosts with automatic file sharing and port forwarding, mainly for running containers.

Open-source alternative to:Docker Desktop

View on GitHubWebsite
Stars
22,261
Forks
996
Open issues
502
Last commit
yesterday

What is it?

Lima starts Linux virtual machines with automatic file sharing and port forwarding, offering a experience similar to WSL2. It was created to bring containerd and nerdctl to Mac users, but it is not limited to container workloads and can run any Linux application inside the VM.

Beyond containerd, Lima works with Docker, Podman, and Kubernetes. Templates such as template:docker and template:k8s set up those engines with a single command, and the lima command runs Linux commands inside the guest. Hosts include macOS as well as Linux and NetBSD.

The project is an incubating CNCF project and is distributed through Homebrew. Its SBOM downloads use the CycloneDX format.

Key features

  • 01Automatic file sharing between host and guest VM.
  • 02Automatic port forwarding from the guest to the host.
  • 03Built-in templates for containerd, Docker, and Kubernetes.
  • 04Run Linux commands in the VM with the lima CLI.
  • 05Supports macOS, Linux, and NetBSD hosts.

Use cases

  • Running containerd or nerdctl containers on a Mac.
  • Running Docker or Kubernetes locally on macOS with minimal setup.
  • Running Linux-only tools or applications from a macOS development machine.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install Lima with Homebrew

    brew install lima
  2. 2

    Start a default Linux VM

    limactl start
  3. 3

    Run a Linux command inside the VM

    lima uname -a

Things to know

  • Primarily designed for macOS hosts; Linux and other hosts are supported as secondary targets.

In collections

Open-source Mac apps

Topics

#containers#virtual-machine#macos#containerd#docker#kubernetes#qemu#lima-vm#vm

FAQ

What is lima?
Launches Linux virtual machines on macOS and other hosts with automatic file sharing and port forwarding, mainly for running containers. Lima starts Linux virtual machines with automatic file sharing and port forwarding, offering a experience similar to WSL2. It was created to bring containerd and nerdctl to Mac users, but it is not limited to container workloads and can run any Linux application inside the VM.
Is lima free to use? What license does it have?
lima is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is lima still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to lima was on Nov 6, 2026.
What can I use lima for?
Running containerd or nerdctl containers on a Mac. Running Docker or Kubernetes locally on macOS with minimal setup. Running Linux-only tools or applications from a macOS development machine.
How do I install lima?
Install Lima with Homebrew: brew install lima Start a default Linux VM: limactl start Run a Linux command inside the VM: lima uname -a
Where can I get lima?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/lima-vm/lima

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

Related projects