Usage

Starting a Linux instance

Run limactl start <INSTANCE> to create and start the first instance. The <INSTANCE> name defaults to “default”.

$ limactl start
? Creating an instance "default"  [Use arrows to move, type to filter]
> Proceed with the current configuration
  Open an editor to review or modify the current configuration
  Choose another template (docker, podman, archlinux, fedora, ...)
  Exit
...
INFO[0029] READY. Run `lima` to open the shell.

Choose Proceed with the current configuration, and wait until “READY” to be printed on the host terminal.

For automation, --tty=false flag can be used for disabling the interactive user interface.

Customization

To create an instance “default” from a template “docker”:

limactl create --name=default template://docker
limactl start default

See also the command reference:

• limactl create
• limactl start
• limactl edit

Executing Linux commands

Run limactl shell <INSTANCE> <COMMAND> to launch <COMMAND> on the VM:

limactl shell default uname -a

See also the command reference:

• limactl shell

For the “default” instance, this command can be shortened as lima <COMMAND>.

lima uname -a

The lima command also accepts the instance name as the environment variable $LIMA_INSTANCE.

SSH can be used too:

$ limactl ls --format='{{.SSHConfigFile}}' default
/Users/example/.lima/default/ssh.config

$ ssh -F /Users/example/.lima/default/ssh.config lima-default

Using SSH without the -F flag

To connect directly without specifying the config file, add this to your ~/.ssh/config:

Include ~/.lima/*/ssh.config

Then you can connect directly:

ssh lima-default

Understanding Lima’s Operation Modes

Lima operates in different modes that affect how it integrates with your host system. By default, Lima runs in “integrated mode” which automatically mounts your home directory, forwards ports, and sets up container engines. For users who prefer more control or isolation, “plain mode” is available.

See Operation Modes for a detailed explanation of these modes and when to use each one.

Shell completion

• To enable bash completion, add source <(limactl completion bash) to ~/.bash_profile.
• To enable zsh completion, see limactl completion zsh --help