Linux Containers (LXC)

Install

sudo snap install lxd --channel=4.0/stable

usermod -aG lxd <username>

newgrp lxd (Apply for group memberships immediately)

lxc (overview of all available commands and options)

lxc --help

lxc <command> --help

Initialize

sudo lxd init (Initialize LXD)

lxd init --dump (Dump info about current networking, storage pool, and profile)

lxc profile list

lxc profile show <profilename>

Network

lxc network list

lxc network show lxdbr0 (Or another <networkname>)

lxc network delete <networkname> (Don't do this now)

Storage

lxc storage list

lxc storage show <storagename>

lxc storage delete <storagename> (Don't do this now)

Images

lxc remote list (List remote servers that can be used as <imageserver>)

lxc image ls images (List local images; ls is short for list)

lxc image ls images: (List images available on the remote server named "images")

lxc image ls images: <imagename> (eg. debian amd64)

Launch

Usage: lxc launch <imageserver>:<imagename> <instancename> [-p <profilename>] [-c <key> <value>] (-c means config)

lxc launch <imageserver>:<imagename> <instancename> --vm

<imageserver> (e.g. ubuntu or images)

<imagename> (e.g. ubuntu/20.04/amd64)

<instancename> (e.g. trainer-one)

For Example:

lxc launch ubuntu:20.04 trainer-one OR lxc launch images:ubuntu/20.04/amd64 trainer-one

Instances

lxc ls (Show local instances with network info)

lxc ls --help

lxc ls --fast (Show local instances with profile info)

lxc info (So much info)

lxc info <instancename> (So much info about <instancename>)

lxc start <instancename>

lxc restart <instancename>

lxc stop <instancename>

lxc delete <instancename>

lxc alias add delete "delete -i" (Make alias for delete to always be prompted for approval when deleting)

Execute commands and login

lxc exec <instancename> -- <command>

lxc exec <instancename> -- apt-get update (Example command)

lxc exec <instancename> -- <shellname> (Login to <instancename> as root)

lxc exec <instancename> -- su --login <username> (Login to <instancename> as <username>)

lxc console <instancename> (Login to console; detach with Ctrl+a-q)

File transfer to/from instance

lxc file pull <instancename>/path/in/container path/on/host

lxc file push path/on/host <instancename>/path/in/container

Move (rename) instances

lxc mv <instancename> <new-instancename> (Rename instance; Remember to change hosts and hostname files if needed)

See further reading to migrate to another server.

Snapshots

lxc snapshot <instancename> <snapshotname> (Create snapshot)

lxc restore <snapshotname> <instancename> (Restore snapshot)

lxc delete <instancename>/<snapshotname>

Config

lxc config set <instancename> <key> <value>

lxc config edit <instancename> (Edit instance configuration)

lxc config show <instancename> -e (Show instance configuration)

Autostart

lxc config set <instancename> boot.autostart [true|false]

lxc config set <instancename> boot.autostart.priority <integer> (Highest priority starts first)

lxc config set <instancename> boot.autostart.delay <integer> (After boot, wait before starting the next instance)

lxc config get <instancename> boot.autostart

Profiles

Usage:

lxc launch <imageserver>:<imagename> <instancename> -p profile1 -p profile2

lxc launch <imageserver>:<imagename> <instancename> -c <key1> <value> -c <key2> <value>

Commands:

echo 'export EDITOR=vim' >> ~/.profile

lxc profile show default

lxc profile create <profilename>

cat <profilename>.profile | lxc profile edit <profilename>

lxc profile set <profilename> <key> <value>

lxc profile add <instancename> <profilename>

lxc profile remove <instancename> <profilename>

lxc profile edit <profilename>

Wipe and start over

printf 'config: {}\ndevices: {}' | lxc profile edit default

lxc storage delete default

lxc network delete lxdbr0

systemctl stop snap.lxd.daemon.service

rm -fr /var/lib/lxd/*

rm -fr /var/snap/lxd/common/lxd/*

systemctl start snap.lxd.daemon.service

lxd init

Further Reading:

Docs for Stable-4.0

A network isolated container in lxd.

How to make your lxd containers get ip addresses from your lan using a bridge.

Using command aliases in lxd to exec a shell.

How to move/migrate lxd vm to another host on linux.

How to backup and restore lxd containers.

How to disable firewall and nat rules on the lxd bridge.

Tutorial Forum