Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install lima with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, scoop, winget, zypper

Linux virtual machines. Version 2.1.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-03.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install lima

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install lima

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/lima/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add lima

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · lima · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#lima

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install lima

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · lima · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/lima

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/lima.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id Lima.Lima -e

Windows Package Manager source index · Lima.Lima · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Linux virtual machines

Commands and aliases

  • apptainer.lima
  • docker.lima
  • kubectl.lima
  • lima
  • limactl
  • nerdctl.lima
  • podman.lima

history

Project history and usage

Lima, short for Linux Machines, is a command-line tool for running Linux virtual machines with automatic file sharing and port forwarding. It is best known in the macOS developer ecosystem as the low-level VM layer behind container workflows that need a real Linux guest.

Project history

The Lima documentation says the project began in May 2021 to promote containerd and nerdctl to Mac users. Its first GitHub release, v0.1.0, was published in May 2021 and demonstrated a minimal workflow of starting a VM with limactl and running Linux commands through lima.

The project quickly broadened beyond its original containerd focus. Its README describes support for other container engines such as Docker, Podman, and Kubernetes, non-container workloads, and hosts beyond macOS including Linux and NetBSD.

Adoption history

Lima gained adoption as developers looked for open, scriptable alternatives to heavier desktop container products on macOS, especially after Apple Silicon made VM architecture and filesystem integration more visible in local development. Projects such as Colima and Rancher Desktop used Lima as a building block for friendlier container and Kubernetes experiences.

Lima joined the Cloud Native Computing Foundation as a Sandbox project in September 2022 and was promoted to Incubating in October 2025, reflecting its role as shared infrastructure for cloud-native local development.

How it is used

Users create or start named instances with limactl, then run commands inside the guest via the lima wrapper or connect container tools to sockets exposed by the VM. Templates cover common setups such as containerd, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, and Apptainer.

Why package nerds care

Lima is package-nerd significant because it turns a pile of VM details into a package-manager-friendly CLI. Its Homebrew formula gives macOS users a reproducible way to get Linux containers, port forwarding, file sharing, QEMU or native virtualization choices, and YAML-controlled instances without installing a full GUI product.

Timeline

  • 2021-05: Lima began with the goal of promoting containerd and nerdctl to Mac users.
  • 2021-05-14: The v0.1.0 release was published as the first public release.
  • 2022-09: Lima joined CNCF as a Sandbox project.
  • 2025-10: Lima was promoted to CNCF Incubating.

Related projects

  • Lima is related to containerd, nerdctl, QEMU, Apple's virtualization stack, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, Colima, and Rancher Desktop. Its positioning is often compared to WSL2 because both provide Linux environments with host integration.

security posture

Risk level: orange

virtual machine infrastructure.

Risk classifier

orange risk · high confidence · infrastructure

Why

  • virtual machine infrastructure

Signals

  • override:lima

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

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

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix
${LIMA_HOME:-$HOME/.lima}/<instance>/lima.yaml${LIMA_HOME:-$HOME/.lima}/_config/networks.yaml

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
apptainer.limacliglobal executable
docker.limacliglobal executable
kubectl.limacliglobal executable
limacliglobal executable
limactlcliglobal executable
nerdctl.limacliglobal executable
podman.limacliglobal 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 version2.1.4
manager updated2026-07-03
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv2.1.4

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

  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:lima
Version2.1.4
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/lima
Homepagehttps://lima-vm.io/
Repositoryhttps://github.com/lima-vm/lima
Upstream docshttps://lima-vm.io/docs
LicenseApache-2.0
Source archivehttps://github.com/lima-vm/lima/archive/refs/tags/v2.1.4.tar.gz
Last updated2026-07-03T05:31:26Z
Pulseupdated
Build dependenciesgo
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared
CaveatsThe guest agents for non-native architectures are now provided in a separate formula: brew install lima-additional-guestagents

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namelima
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
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%

lima

nix profile install nixpkgs#lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/lima/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
apk95%

lima 1.2.1-r6

Linux virtual machine launcher focusing on running containers

https://lima-vm.io/

sudo apk add lima
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lima from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

lima-bash-completion 1.2.1-r6

Bash completions for lima

https://lima-vm.io/

sudo apk add lima-bash-completion
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lima-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

lima-doc 1.2.1-r6

Linux virtual machine launcher focusing on running containers (documentation)

https://lima-vm.io/

sudo apk add lima-doc
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lima-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

lima-fish-completion 1.2.1-r6

Fish completions for lima

https://lima-vm.io/

sudo apk add lima-fish-completion
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lima-fish-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

lima-guestagent 1.2.1-r6

Lima guest agent

https://lima-vm.io/

sudo apk add lima-guestagent
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lima-guestagent from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

lima-zsh-completion 1.2.1-r6

Zsh completions for lima

https://lima-vm.io/

sudo apk add lima-zsh-completion
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lima-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
zypper95%

lima 2.1.2-1.1

Linux virtual machines, with a focus on running containers

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

sudo zypper install lima
  • License: Apache-2.0
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: lima
  • 3 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: lima from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

lima

sudo port install lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/lima/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Scoop95%

main/lima

scoop install main/lima
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/lima.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1
winget95%

Lima.Lima

winget install --id Lima.Lima -e
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Lima
Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: Lima.Lima from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

package graph

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

Related tools

  • goBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • colimaPopular package that depends on this formula.

Same workflow

  • lumeShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, system, virtual-machines, virtualization.
  • libosinfoShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, virtualization.
  • nemuShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, virtualization.
  • osinfo-db-toolsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, virtualization.
  • qemuShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, virtualization.
  • rvvmShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, virtualization.

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.

Used sources

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