Apple Container Usage

Guide for using Apple's container tool to run Linux containers on macOS.

TL;DR

container runs Linux containers in lightweight virtual machines (one VM per container) on macOS 26+ (Apple Silicon). It creates a native, secure, and performant alternative to Docker Desktop.

When to Use

• You want to run Linux containers on macOS without the overhead of Docker Desktop.
• You need strong isolation (VM per container).
• You are developing on macOS 26+ with Apple Silicon.
• You want to build multi-platform images (arm64/amd64).

Installation