systemd-nspawn
freedesktop.org
Spec sheet
- Purpose
- systemd-nspawn runs a command or a full Linux-based operating system in a lightweight namespace container.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Security
- For untrusted code, the manual says to use a user namespace because the sandbox can be circumvented without one.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Support
- The systemd project lists its mailing list, IRC channel, and Matrix channel as support options.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- License
- The systemd repository includes an LGPL 2.1 license file.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Configuration
- Per-container .nspawn files provide persistent settings, and command-line options take precedence over those settings by default.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Container images
- It can run from a directory tree or a disk image, and searches /var/lib/machines/ for named machine images.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Container inputs
- It can use an operating system directory tree or a disk image as the container root.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Container interface
- systemd-nspawn implements the systemd Container Interface specification.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Container isolation
- It virtualizes the filesystem hierarchy, process tree, IPC subsystems, hostname, and domain name.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Execution modes
- It can run interactively from the command line or as a background system service.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Image safety
- For .nspawn settings files found next to an image or container root, settings that elevate privileges or grant additional host access are ignored by default.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Integration
- Running containers register with systemd-machined, which tracks them and provides programming interfaces to interact with them.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Isolation
- It virtualizes the filesystem hierarchy, process tree, IPC subsystems, and host and domain names.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Management integration
- Running containers can be registered with systemd-machined and interacted with through machinectl.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Persistent settings
- Optional .nspawn files store per-container settings that can also be set on the command line.Read 11 Oct 2026 · freedesktop.org
- Platform
- systemd-nspawn is documented as a Linux container tool and requires a Linux system to run.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Service management
- A [email protected] template can run each container as a system service, and machinectl can manage containers.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Settings safety
- Settings discovered beside an image or container root ignore options that elevate privileges or grant additional host resource access.Read 11 Oct 2026 · freedesktop.org
- Unprivileged limits
- Without privileges, only disk image containers are supported, and networking is limited to private-network and network-veth modes.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Plans and prices
systemd-nspawn Free No paid plan or usage limits stated on the pages reviewed Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Where Specifiction places it
- Container Engines#18 of 317.5
