YKYH Picks
☰ Menu
Home›Command-Line Tools›lima
CLI Open source 6,108 installs/mo

lima for Mac

Linux virtual machines

Quick answer: lima is a command-line tool for macOS. Install it with brew install lima. It is distributed under the Apache-2.0 licence. It has 6,108 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What lima is

lima is a command-line tool for macOS: linux virtual machines.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. It is distributed under the Apache-2.0 licence.

How to install lima

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install lima.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

Similar apps in Command-Line Tools

Closest apps in the same category, ordered by description similarity and install base. These are related tools, not confirmed substitutes; the comparison pages cover hand-picked head-to-head matchups.

containerCreate and run Linux containers using lightweight virtual machinesCLIOpen source4,813/movirtualenvTool for creating isolated virtual python environmentsCLIOpen source11,051/mochezmoiManage your dotfiles across multiple diverse machines, securelyCLIOpen source20,007/movirt-managerApp for managing virtual machinesCLIOpen source590/movclusterCreates fully functional virtual k8s cluster inside host k8s cluster's namespaceCLIOpen source309/molumeCreate and manage Apple Silicon-native virtual machinesCLIOpen source199/mo

Frequently asked questions

How do I install lima on Mac?

Run brew install lima in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is lima open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the Apache-2.0 licence.

Does lima run on Apple silicon?

Homebrew publishes this formula for macOS. If upstream does not ship an Apple silicon build, Rosetta 2 handles the Intel binary.

How popular is lima?

It was installed 6,108 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #278 in this catalogue.

What version of lima is current?

The latest packaged version is 2.2.1.