install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install container

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install container

MacPorts ports tree · devel/container/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#container

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/co/container/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Create and run Linux containers using lightweight virtual machines

Project links

Commands and aliases

container
container-apiserver

history

Project history and usage

Apple's `container` is a macOS-focused CLI for creating and running Linux containers as lightweight virtual machines. It is written in Swift, optimized for Apple silicon, and designed around OCI-compatible images and registries.

Project history

Apple published the initial 0.1.0 release in June 2025 and reached 1.0.0 in June 2026. The README describes the project as active development, with stability guarantees limited to patch versions until the 1.0.0 milestone.

Adoption history

Official documentation frames the tool around macOS developers who need Linux containers without a shared Linux VM. The project also became package-manager-relevant quickly because Homebrew, MacPorts, and Nix package records appeared around a first-party Apple runtime rather than a Docker Desktop replacement package.

How it is used

The CLI can start the system service, pull and run OCI images, build images from Dockerfiles, push images to registries, and manage containers, images, registries, builders, and system components. Its technical overview explains that each container runs in its own lightweight VM through Apple's Containerization package and macOS frameworks such as Virtualization, vmnet, XPC, launchd, Keychain services, and unified logging.

Why package nerds care

For package nerds, `container` is significant because it makes Apple's native container stack installable and scriptable as a CLI. Its use of OCI images preserves interoperability with existing registries, while its macOS-only virtualization model creates a distinct packaging target from Linux containerd/runc stacks and Docker Desktop-style bundles.

Timeline

2025: 0.1.0 release published.
2026: 1.0.0 release published.
2026: Documentation states support targets macOS 26 and Apple silicon.

Related projects

`container` uses Apple's Containerization Swift package for low-level container, image, and process management. Its technical overview also connects it to OCI image standards and macOS platform frameworks.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: orange

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
formula declares a Homebrew service
infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal

Signals

metadata:service
text:container,virtual machine
text:server

Install behavior

Homebrew declares a post-install hook for this formula.
Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`container`	cli	global executable
`container-apiserver`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version1.1.0

manager updated2026-07-06

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected1.1.0

https://github.com/apple/container

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:container
Version	1.1.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/container
Homepage	https://apple.github.io/container/documentation/
Repository	https://github.com/apple/container
Upstream docs	https://apple.github.io/container/documentation
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/apple/container/archive/refs/tags/1.1.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-07-06T21:40:21Z
Pulse	updated
Bottle	available (on arm64_tahoe)
Homebrew post-install	defined
Service	declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	container
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Requirements	arch macos xcode
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

container

nix profile install nixpkgs#container

normalized package name match
Matched by: Container

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/co/container/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

MacPorts95%

container

sudo port install container

normalized package name match
Matched by: Container

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/container/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/container.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install container with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix