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https://github.com/astro/microvm.nix
NixOS MicroVMs
https://github.com/astro/microvm.nix
cloud-hypervisor crosvm firecracker flake flakes kvmtool microvm microvms nix nix-flake nixos qemu virtualization
Last synced: 29 days ago
JSON representation
NixOS MicroVMs
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/astro/microvm.nix
- Owner: astro
- License: mit
- Created: 2021-06-24T00:35:04.000Z (over 3 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-04-09T09:19:04.000Z (7 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-04-14T04:03:29.754Z (7 months ago)
- Topics: cloud-hypervisor, crosvm, firecracker, flake, flakes, kvmtool, microvm, microvms, nix, nix-flake, nixos, qemu, virtualization
- Language: Nix
- Homepage: https://astro.github.io/microvm.nix/
- Size: 5.56 MB
- Stars: 975
- Watchers: 17
- Forks: 78
- Open Issues: 27
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
- awesome-nix - microvm - NixOS-based MicroVMs. (Virtualisation / Discovery)
- awesome-repositories - astro/microvm.nix - NixOS MicroVMs (Nix)
README
# MicroVM.nix
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A Nix Flake to build NixOS and run it on one of several Type-2
Hypervisors on NixOS/Linux. The project is intended to provide a more
isolated alternative to `nixos-container`. You can either build and
run MicroVMs like Nix packages, or alternatively install them as
systemd services declaratively in your host's Nix Flake or
imperatively with the provided `microvm` command.
[Project Presentation (video)](https://media.ccc.de/v/nixcon-2023-34861-microvm-nix)
## At a glance
- MicroVMs are Virtual Machines but use special device interfaces
(virtio) for high performance.
- This project runs them on NixOS hosts.
- You can choose one of five hypervisors for each MicroVM.
- MicroVMs have a fixed RAM allocation (default: 512 MB) but can be
shrunk using `microvm-balloon`
- MicroVMs have a read-only root disk with either a prepopulated
`/nix/store` or by mounting the host's along with an optional
writable overlay. This filesystem can be built as either *squashfs*
(smaller) or *erofs* (faster).
- You define your MicroVMs in a Nix Flake's `nixosConfigurations`
section, reusing the `nixosModules` that are exported by this Flake.
- MicroVMs can access stateful filesystems either on a image volume as
a block device, or alternatively as a shared directory hierarchy
through *9p* or *virtiofs*.
- Zero, one, or more virtual tap ethernet network interfaces can be
attached to a MicroVM. `qemu` and `kvmtool` also support *user*
networking which requires no additional setup on the host.
## Hypervisors
| Hypervisor | Language | Restrictions |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|------------------------------------------|
| [qemu](https://www.qemu.org/) | C | |
| [cloud-hypervisor](https://www.cloudhypervisor.org/) | Rust | no 9p shares |
| [firecracker](https://firecracker-microvm.github.io/) | Rust | no 9p/virtiofs shares |
| [crosvm](https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/platform/crosvm/) | Rust | 9p shares broken |
| [kvmtool](https://github.com/kvmtool/kvmtool) | C | no virtiofs shares, no control socket |
| [stratovirt](https://github.com/openeuler-mirror/stratovirt) | Rust | no 9p/virtiofs shares, no control socket |
| [alioth](https://github.com/google/alioth) | Rust | no virtiofs shares, no control socket |
## Installation
```shell
nix registry add microvm github:astro/microvm.nix
```
(If you do not want to inflict this change on your system, just
replace `microvm` with `github:astro/microvm.nix` in the following
examples.)
## Start writing your own NixOS MicroVM definitions
```shell
nix flake init -t microvm
$EDITOR flake.nix
nix run .#my-microvm
```
## Examples
### Run MicroVMs on your local machine
```shell
nix run microvm#qemu-example
nix run microvm#firecracker-example
nix run microvm#cloud-hypervisor-example
nix run microvm#crosvm-example
nix run microvm#kvmtool-example
nix run microvm#stratovirt-example
```
### Run a MicroVM example with nested MicroVMs on 5 different Hypervisors
```shell
nix run microvm#vm
```
Check `networkctl status virbr0` for the DHCP leases of the nested
MicroVMs. They listen for ssh with an empty root password.
### Experimental: run graphical applications in cloud-hypervisor with Wayland forwarding
```shell
nix run microvm#graphics neverball
```
## Commercial support
Accelerate your operations and secure your infrastructure with support
from the maker of microvm.nix and a team of virtualization
experts. Contact Cyberus Technology:
---
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