install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install lxc

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add lxc

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

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install liblxc-common

Debian stable package indexes · liblxc-common · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install lxc

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · lxc · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#lxc

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S lxc

Arch Linux sync databases · lxc · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install liblxc-devel

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · liblxc-devel · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install lxc

Chocolatey community package catalog · lxc · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/lxc

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

overview

Package summary

CLI client for interacting with LXD

Project links

Commands and aliases

lxc

history

Project history and usage

The Homebrew `lxc` formula packages the LXD command-line client named `lxc`, not the older low-level LXC tool suite. LXD is Canonical's system container and virtual-machine manager, and `lxc` is its default CLI for managing instances, remotes, images, networks, projects, storage, and server settings.

Project history

The LXD repository was created in November 2014, and the official documentation carries LXD contributor copyright years from 2014 through 2026. Canonical's documentation describes LXD as a modern, secure system container and virtual machine manager with a REST API and support for workloads from a single development machine to clustered production infrastructure.

The official `lxd and lxc` explanation distinguishes LXD from LXC: LXC is the low-level userspace interface for Linux kernel containment features, while LXD is a more user-friendly system built on top of LXC with network-controllable management features.

Adoption history

LXD adoption grew from Linux container users who wanted machine-like system containers with images, profiles, networking, storage pools, remotes, and clustering. The official README documents installation of the daemon on Linux and the `lxc` client on Linux, Windows, and macOS, including Homebrew for macOS.

By July 2026, the official GitHub repository had roughly 4,800 stars and 1,000 forks, and Canonical maintained both feature releases and long-term-support release branches such as 4.0, 5.0, and 5.21.

How it is used

The `lxc` command is the everyday LXD client. Official man pages list subcommands for launching, listing, stopping, copying, moving, snapshotting, exporting, importing, and configuring instances, plus image, profile, project, network, storage, cluster, and remote management.

The client stores remotes and aliases in `config.yml` under `$LXD_CONF` or `~/.config/lxc`. For remote authentication it can use TLS client certificate and key files, optional client CA material, OIDC token JSON files, and per-remote cookie jars.

Why package nerds care

This package is significant because its name is historically confusing: package users may expect LXC, but the formula installs the LXD client named `lxc`. For package managers, it is a cross-platform client for a Linux-only daemon and has important configuration and credential files outside the package prefix.

Timeline

2014: Public `canonical/lxd` repository created.
2021: LXD 4.0 LTS line still maintained through later point releases.
2024: LXD 5.21 LTS line active.
2026: LXD 6.9 feature release and LTS point releases published.

Related projects

LXC provides the lower-level Linux container interface used underneath LXD.
dqlite is used by LXD for clustered state.
pylxd and the Go client package are official SDKs documented by the LXD README.
MicroCloud, Terraform provider for LXD, Packer LXD builder, and Ansible integrations are listed as management tools.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:client

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: $LXD_CONF/config.yml~/.config/lxc/config.yml

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: $LXD_CONF/client.crt$LXD_CONF/client.key$LXD_CONF/oidctokens/<remote>.json$LXD_CONF/jars/<remote>~/.config/lxc/client.crt~/.config/lxc/client.key~/.config/lxc/oidctokens/<remote>.json~/.config/lxc/jars/<remote>

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`lxc`	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 version6.9

manager updated2026-06-23

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/canonical/lxd

infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/canonical/lxdnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:lxc
Version	6.9
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/lxc
Homepage	https://ubuntu.com/lxd
Repository	https://github.com/canonical/lxd
Upstream docs	https://documentation.ubuntu.com/lxd
License	AGPL-3.0-only
Source archive	https://github.com/canonical/lxd/releases/download/lxd-6.9/lxd-6.9.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-23T10:38:02Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	lxc
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
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.

Debian apt95%

liblxc-common 1:6.0.4-4+deb13u3+b1

Linux Containers userspace tools (library)

Install lxc with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper