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Lima

INFRA · APIS
Velocity5.0

Linux virtual machines with automatic file sharing and port forwarding on macOS

lima-vm.io ↗

Lima 2.3 nears release, with a Windows path that drops QEMU and a new TUI

virtual-machinescontainerswindows-supportcross-platformdeveloper-toolingnetworking
◆Current state
Lima v2.3.0-rc.0 is out with an experimental HCS driver that removes the QEMU dependency on Windows hosts, block device attachment for VZ guests on macOS, and experimental shared, host and bridged networks on Linux hosts. limactl menu adds a menu-based interface, which now opens when limactl runs on a terminal without arguments. The default Ubuntu template moves to 26.10.
◆Where it's heading
The any-guest, any-host direction now reaches all three desktop platforms in one release, and each host gets a feature suited to its own virtualization stack. The menu interface is a different kind of addition: it aims at people who do not want to memorize the CLI. LFX mentees and outside contributors continue to carry much of this work, and the project's experimental-first labeling still applies to the biggest items.
◆Prediction
A 2.3.0 final is the next step after rc.0. The HCS driver and Linux network modes should stay experimental there, following the pattern earlier platform additions took.

◆Recent moves

  1. 10d ago

    2.3.0-rc.0: HCS on Windows, VZ block devices, limactl menu

    The release candidate gathers the 2.3 cycle: HCS on Windows, block devices on macOS, privileged networks on Linux and the limactl menu interface. Each host platform gets a headline item in this cycle.

    View source ↗
  2. 1mo ago

    2.3.0-beta.1: VZ block devices and native Windows OpenSSH

    Adds host block devices for VZ guests, native Windows OpenSSH and work on a privileged network helper for Linux. It moves the Windows push from guests toward host tooling.

    View source ↗
  3. 2mo ago

    2.3.0-beta.0: an experimental HCS driver for Windows hosts

    An experimental HCS driver for Windows hosts, plus further Windows guest enhancements. It extends the host side of the platform matrix rather than opening a new one: Windows hosts were already supported through wsl2 and then qemu, and this adds a native driver option alongside them.

    View source ↗
  4. 3mo ago

    2.2.0-rc.0: Windows 11 guests and a sudo opt-out

    Windows 11 guests, a password-less sudo opt-out, TPM emulation and virtio-sound, with the Windows host default moving from wsl2 to qemu. The release where Windows became a properly worked platform on both sides rather than a special case.

    View source ↗
  5. 4mo ago

    2.2.0-beta.0: Windows Server 2025 guests and TPM emulation

    Windows Server 2025 guests and TPM emulation, the first half of the Windows guest push that 2.2.0-rc.0 completed. The experimental-first pattern visible here is the one the new HCS driver follows.

    View source ↗
  6. 6mo ago

    2.1.2-beta.0: CLI mount and rsync path fixes

    CLI mount and rsync path fixes on the 2.1 line, maintenance between the guest-platform releases that define this arc.

    View source ↗