#nspawn — Public Fediverse posts

An almost hidden system inside systemd can run your containers.

#container #systemd #architecture #nspawn

https://silentarchitect.org/2026/08/your-hidden-container-engine.html

An almost hidden system inside systemd can run your containers.

#container #systemd #architecture #nspawn

https://silentarchitect.org/2026/08/your-hidden-container-engine.html

@ndreas once Podman/Docker add the corresponding support, this will work just fine, running containers inside nspawn:
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/blob/main/NEWS#L4573-L4599

#systemd #nspawn #docker #podman

@ndreas once Podman/Docker add the corresponding support, this will work just fine, running containers inside nspawn:
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/blob/main/NEWS#L4573-L4599

#systemd #nspawn #docker #podman

Trying to get a bit familiar with systemd-nspawn (little bit clumsy name) by following this article:

https://benjamintoll.com/2022/02/04/on-running-systemd-nspawn-containers/

Its a bit outdated, eg. `machinectl pull-raw ...` is `importctl pull-raw`, but it can be translated.

Trying to create an image using `mkosi` that then later can be started.

Overall aim is to start a firefox in a spawned container. Let's see...

#systemd #nspawn #containers #archlinux

The thing I hate about #Discourse is the need to use docker. Docker is a PITA to run in systemd-nspawn, and I guess #lxc, too. I would put much more energy into hosting my Discourse if I just could install it in my system containers without too much hassle.

Other than that, Discourse is great.

#systemd #nspawn #systemdnspawn

The thing I hate about #Discourse is the need to use docker. Docker is a PITA to run in systemd-nspawn, and I guess #lxc, too. I would put much more energy into hosting my Discourse if I just could install it in my system containers without too much hassle.

Other than that, Discourse is great.

#systemd #nspawn #systemdnspawn

Ok #systemd #nixos #nspawn container question.

On the host I've mounted a nfs share rw.

In a nixos container i've a bind mount of that nfs mount into another directory.

If I open a shell inside that container as root I see that nfs/bindmount rw. But all other users (if I look at their /proc/<pid>/mounts see that nfs share mounted as ro read-only ...

Alright , play time aka show off useless craps ... enjoy!

#linuxadmin #opensuse #fedora #systemd #nspawn #tool #opensource

Alright , play time aka show off useless craps ... enjoy!

#linuxadmin #opensuse #fedora #systemd #nspawn #tool #opensource

Preview of a project im working on right now with Systemd-Nspawn! What an amazing technology to work with.

#nspawn #systemd

With Open Source IDE: #Lapce - https://lapce.dev/

and the ubiquity of #SystemD #nspawn #containers , It is possible to have a bloat-free workstation on #Linux

Just use the nspawn container to store all the dev-related packages and use the remote/SSH connection feature of Lapce to connect to those containers.

Your workstation will stay 'clean' relative to a situation if you had Java, Ruby, NodeJS, Python, Go and Rust all installed directly on the workstation.

With Open Source IDE: #Lapce - https://lapce.dev/

and the ubiquity of #SystemD #nspawn #containers , It is possible to have a bloat-free workstation on #Linux

Just use the nspawn container to store all the dev-related packages and use the remote/SSH connection feature of Lapce to connect to those containers.

Your workstation will stay 'clean' relative to a situation if you had Java, Ruby, NodeJS, Python, Go and Rust all installed directly on the workstation.

Creating Sandboxes with systemd-nspawn and debootstrap

Exploring new #Linux features is exciting, but it can be risky! I sometimes break my system while testing packages. To avoid this, I recently tried #systemd-nspawn with #debootstrap - it's a lightweight #container that works well for isolated testing.

#Debian users, this guide shows you how to get systemd-#nspawn up and running, no fuss.

Installing the packages

First things first, we need to install two packages: systemd-container and debootstrap:

sudo apt install systemd-container debootstrap

debootstrap lets you spin up a lightweight Debian right on your host, and systemd-container utilites such as systemd-nspawn and machinectl manage the OS in a lightweight container.

Create a Debian virtual machine

Let's generate a minimal Debian image called debian-testing with the following command:

sudo debootstrap --include=systemd,dbus stable /var/lib/machines/debian-testing

To verify successful installation, run machinectl list-images. Look for 'debian-testing' in the output.

Logging into virtual machine

Use the following command to start the debian-testing container.

sudo systemd-nspawn -D /var/lib/machines/debian-testing

Since you're now inside your virtual machine, let's set a password for the root user. This will come in handy when you want to manage the container using machinectl.

To swiftly terminate the container, press the Ctrl+] key combination three times in quick succession while inside the container.

Running a graphical application in vm

To run graphical apps like Chromium within the container, we need to set up display sharing. First, gracefully shut down the container. Then, use this command to establish the connection:

xhost local:; sudo systemd-nspawn -E DISPLAY="$DISPLAY" -D /var/lib/machines/debian-testing

Now that you're logged in, it's time to fire up Chromium! Just type the following commands to install and open it:

apt update
apt install chromium
chromium --no-sandbox

References

• Tutorial: Systemd: The Adventure Continues - Lee Elston, The Linux Foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tijw1SIXts. Slides: https://ossna2020.sched.com/event/c47t/tutorial-systemd-the-adventure-continues-lee-elston-the-linux-foundation
• https://wiki.debian.org/nspawn
• https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/systemd-nspawn.1.html
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd-nspawn#Avoiding_xhost
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/systemd-nspawn
• https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/machinectl.1.html

Creating Sandboxes with systemd-nspawn and debootstrap

Exploring new #Linux features is exciting, but it can be risky! I sometimes break my system while testing packages. To avoid this, I recently tried #systemd-nspawn with #debootstrap - it's a lightweight #container that works well for isolated testing.

#Debian users, this guide shows you how to get systemd-#nspawn up and running, no fuss.

Installing the packages

First things first, we need to install two packages: systemd-container and debootstrap:

sudo apt install systemd-container debootstrap

debootstrap lets you spin up a lightweight Debian right on your host, and systemd-container utilites such as systemd-nspawn and machinectl manage the OS in a lightweight container.

Create a Debian virtual machine

Let's generate a minimal Debian image called debian-testing with the following command:

sudo debootstrap --include=systemd,dbus stable /var/lib/machines/debian-testing

To verify successful installation, run machinectl list-images. Look for 'debian-testing' in the output.

Logging into virtual machine

Use the following command to start the debian-testing container.

sudo systemd-nspawn -D /var/lib/machines/debian-testing

Since you're now inside your virtual machine, let's set a password for the root user. This will come in handy when you want to manage the container using machinectl.

To swiftly terminate the container, press the Ctrl+] key combination three times in quick succession while inside the container.

Running a graphical application in vm

To run graphical apps like Chromium within the container, we need to set up display sharing. First, gracefully shut down the container. Then, use this command to establish the connection:

xhost local:; sudo systemd-nspawn -E DISPLAY="$DISPLAY" -D /var/lib/machines/debian-testing

Now that you're logged in, it's time to fire up Chromium! Just type the following commands to install and open it:

apt update
apt install chromium
chromium --no-sandbox

References

• Tutorial: Systemd: The Adventure Continues - Lee Elston, The Linux Foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tijw1SIXts. Slides: https://ossna2020.sched.com/event/c47t/tutorial-systemd-the-adventure-continues-lee-elston-the-linux-foundation
• https://wiki.debian.org/nspawn
• https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/systemd-nspawn.1.html
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd-nspawn#Avoiding_xhost
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/systemd-nspawn
• https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/machinectl.1.html

#containers #nspawn

I only discovered nspawn today as an alternative to LXC. Been having some hiccups installing it, but it seems like a very niche Linux topic for creating local test/debug containers.

Trying to make debootstrap work with `nspctl` ( management tool for systemd-nspawn containers).

#containers #nspawn

I only discovered nspawn today as an alternative to LXC. Been having some hiccups installing it, but it seems like a very niche Linux topic for creating local test/debug containers.

Trying to make debootstrap work with `nspctl` ( management tool for systemd-nspawn containers).

@nobodyinperson have you heard from our Lord & Saviour systemd-nspawn? 😁
That's basically chroot on steroids and allows to enter an OS' filesystem/disk image comparable to chroot, but properly namespaced and without all the "mount dev/proc/...“ dance.
Furthermore it also allows to fully boot such an environment (-b) with a systemd instance running inside, while everything can be controlled nicely from the outside using the -M flag of systemctl/journalctl/...

#systemd #nspawn

@nobodyinperson have you heard from our Lord & Saviour systemd-nspawn? 😁
That's basically chroot on steroids and allows to enter an OS' filesystem/disk image comparable to chroot, but properly namespaced and without all the "mount dev/proc/...“ dance.
Furthermore it also allows to fully boot such an environment (-b) with a systemd instance running inside, while everything can be controlled nicely from the outside using the -M flag of systemctl/journalctl/...

#systemd #nspawn

After a while of doing this, I managed to get the system working properly. #systemd boots the container via #nspawn which runs a minimal #debian image and acts as a router and firewall, allowing the host to be a desktop machine and the second LAN device to connect to a switch, and provide further local network. All set up from a machine originally running windows without me once touching the machine. Remote sysadmin achievement unlocked.

After a while of doing this, I managed to get the system working properly. #systemd boots the container via #nspawn which runs a minimal #debian image and acts as a router and firewall, allowing the host to be a desktop machine and the second LAN device to connect to a switch, and provide further local network. All set up from a machine originally running windows without me once touching the machine. Remote sysadmin achievement unlocked.

At the moment it clearly boots the #nspawn container and moves the two Ethernet interfaces into the container. It also sets up an extra #veth pair, but for some reason I can't raise the veth pair, "ip link dev lan set up" from the host OS leaves the veth "lan" in the DOWN state... Wth? I think if I could get that veth up id be able to remote log in through #yggdrasil connection.

At the moment it clearly boots the #nspawn container and moves the two Ethernet interfaces into the container. It also sets up an extra #veth pair, but for some reason I can't raise the veth pair, "ip link dev lan set up" from the host OS leaves the veth "lan" in the DOWN state... Wth? I think if I could get that veth up id be able to remote log in through #yggdrasil connection.

happy to find out that #systemd #nspawn supports multiple #container network interfaces after all.

VirtualEthernetExtra=host-if-name:container-if-name

which can easily be configured using /etc/systemd/network/

and depended on using a drop-in unit file

I have also published the slides of my #systemd #nspawn talk: https://blog.lieter.nl/presentations/plexis-NLUUG-fall-2019-systemd-nspawn.pdf