mvmctl mvmctl
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MVMCTL · CONTAINER SPEED, VM ISOLATION

Manage microVMs with one focused CLI

mvmctl is the modern way to run microVMs — get the startup speed of containers with the security and isolation of traditional VMs. Built for developers who need lightweight, fast-booting virtual machines without the overhead.

Install mvm Read docs GitHub
Install paths

4

Command groups

15

Primary platform

Linux

Terminal

# interactive host setup
mvm init
mvm kernel pull --type firecracker
mvm image pull ubuntu --version 24.04
mvm vm create myvm --image ubuntu:24.04
mvm ssh myvm

What mvmctl gives you

A visual overview of the core building blocks: lifecycle control, host integration, and reproducible installs.

Lifecycle in one flow

From first boot to teardown, mvm keeps the lifecycle predictable with command groups for host, kernel, image, VM, network, keys, and config.

  • Create, list, remove, and prune VMs
  • Stream boot and process logs
  • Snapshot and restore running VMs

Real host integration

mvm is built for Linux + KVM and includes one-time host initialization to set up prerequisites, networking, and permissions correctly.

  • KVM-aware setup and checks
  • Bridge networking and named networks
  • Idempotent host init with cleanup options

Production-minded defaults

Use a standalone binary, pipx, pip, or source install while keeping assets and configuration organized under cache/config directories.

  • Binary and Python package distribution
  • Cloud-init support including nocloud-net
  • Managed defaults for kernels, images, and binaries

Install it your way

Use tabs to switch install paths. Binary is the fastest route to first boot.

Prebuilt binary

Recommended · no Python runtime needed

Terminal

curl -L -o mvm https://github.com/AlanD20/mvmctl/releases/latest/download/mvm
chmod +x mvm
sudo mv mvm /usr/local/bin/
mvm --help
Full install documentation Repository

Installation + first-boot docs

Follow a concise path from Linux prerequisites to host initialization and your first running VM.

Docs guide

Includes prerequisites, package commands per distro, required sudo mvm host init, and a verified quick start from kernel fetch to SSH.

Open documentation