systemd-nspawn

systemd
Developer Lennart Poettering lennart@poettering.net
systemd-nspawn 1
systemd-nspawn Spawn a namespace container for debugging, testing and building
`systemd-nspawn` OPTIONS COMMAND ARGS `systemd-nspawn` --boot OPTIONS ARGS

## Description

`systemd-nspawn` may be used to run a command or OS in a light-weight namespace container. In many ways it is similar to chroot 1, but more powerful since it fully virtualizes the file system hierarchy, as well as the process tree, the various IPC subsystems and the host and domain name.

`systemd-nspawn` may be invoked on any directory tree containing an operating system tree, using the `--directory=` command line option. By using the `--machine=` option an OS tree is automatically searched for in a couple of locations, most importantly in `/var/lib/machines`, the suggested directory to place container images installed on the system.

In contrast to chroot 1 `systemd-nspawn` may be used to boot full Linux-based operating systems in a container.

`systemd-nspawn` limits access to various kernel interfaces in the container to read-only, such as `/sys`, `/proc/sys` or `/sys/fs/selinux`. The host's network interfaces and the system clock may not be changed from within the container. Device nodes may not be created. The host system cannot be rebooted and kernel modules may not be loaded from within the container.

Use a tool like dnf 8, debootstrap 8, or pacman 8 to set up an OS directory tree suitable as file system hierarchy for `systemd-nspawn` containers. See the Examples section below for details on suitable invocation of these commands.

As a safety check `systemd-nspawn` will verify the existence of `/usr/lib/os-release` or `/etc/os-release` in the container tree before starting the container (see os-release 5). It might be necessary to add this file to the container tree manually if the OS of the container is too old to contain this file out-of-the-box.

`systemd-nspawn` may be invoked directly from the interactive command line or run as system service in the background. In this mode each container instance runs as its own service instance; a default template unit file `systemd-nspawn@.service` is provided to make this easy, taking the container name as instance identifier. Note that different default options apply when `systemd-nspawn` is invoked by the template unit file than interactively on the command line. Most importantly the template unit file makes use of the `--boot` which is not the default in case `systemd-nspawn` is invoked from the interactive command line. Further differences with the defaults are documented along with the various supported options below.

The machinectl 1 tool may be used to execute a number of operations on containers. In particular it provides easy-to-use commands to run containers as system services using the `systemd-nspawn@.service` template unit file.

Along with each container a settings file with the `.nspawn` suffix may exist, containing additional settings to apply when running the container. See systemd.nspawn 5 for details. Settings files override the default options used by the `systemd-nspawn@.service` template unit file, making it usually unnecessary to alter this template file directly.

Note that `systemd-nspawn` will mount file systems private to the container to `/dev`, `/run` and similar. These will not be visible outside of the container, and their contents will be lost when the container exits.

Note that running two `systemd-nspawn` containers from the same directory tree will not make processes in them see each other. The PID namespace separation of the two containers is complete and the containers will share very few runtime objects except for the underlying file system. Use machinectl 1's `login` or `shell` commands to request an additional login session in a running container.

`systemd-nspawn` implements the Container Interface specification.

While running, containers invoked with `systemd-nspawn` are registered with the systemd-machined 8 service that keeps track of running containers, and provides programming interfaces to interact with them.

## Options

If option `-b` is specified, the arguments are used as arguments for the init program. Otherwise, COMMAND specifies the program to launch in the container, and the remaining arguments are used as arguments for this program. If `--boot` is not used and no arguments are specified, a shell is launched in the container.

The following options are understood:

`-D`
`--directory=`

  Directory to use as file system root for the container.

  If neither `--directory=`, nor `--image=` is specified the directory is determined by searching for a directory named the same as the machine name specified with `--machine=`. See machinectl 1 section "Files and Directories" for the precise search path.

  If neither `--directory=`, `--image=`, nor `--machine=` are specified, the current directory will be used. May not be specified together with `--image=`.

`--template=`

  Directory or `btrfs` subvolume to use as template for the container's root directory. If this is specified and the container's root directory (as configured by `--directory=`) does not yet exist it is created as `btrfs` snapshot (if supported) or plain directory (otherwise) and populated from this template tree. Ideally, the specified template path refers to the root of a `btrfs` subvolume, in which case a simple copy-on-write snapshot is taken, and populating the root directory is instant. If the specified template path does not refer to the root of a `btrfs` subvolume (or not even to a `btrfs` file system at all), the tree is copied (though possibly in a copy-on-write scheme — if the file system supports that), which can be substantially more time-consuming. May not be specified together with `--image=` or `--ephemeral`.

  Note that this switch leaves host name, machine ID and all other settings that could identify the instance unmodified.

`-x`
`--ephemeral`

  If specified, the container is run with a temporary snapshot of its file system that is removed immediately when the container terminates. May not be specified together with `--template=`.

  Note that this switch leaves host name, machine ID and all other settings that could identify the instance unmodified.

`-i`
`--image=`

  Disk image to mount the root directory for the container from. Takes a path to a regular file or to a block device node. The file or block device must contain either:

  - An MBR partition table with a single partition of type 0x83 that is marked bootable.

  - A GUID partition table (GPT) with a single partition of type 0fc63daf-8483-4772-8e79-3d69d8477de4.

  - A GUID partition table (GPT) with a marked root partition which is mounted as the root directory of the container. Optionally, GPT images may contain a home and/or a server data partition which are mounted to the appropriate places in the container. All these partitions must be identified by the partition types defined by the Discoverable Partitions Specification.

  - No partition table, and a single file system spanning the whole image.

  On GPT images, if an EFI System Partition (ESP) is discovered, it is automatically mounted to `/efi` (or `/boot` as fallback) in case a directory by this name exists and is empty.

  Partitions encrypted with LUKS are automatically decrypted. Also, on GPT images dm-verity data integrity hash partitions are set up if the root hash for them is specified using the `--root-hash=` option.

  Any other partitions, such as foreign partitions or swap partitions are not mounted. May not be specified together with `--directory=`, `--template=`.

`--root-hash=`

  Takes a data integrity (dm-verity) root hash specified in hexadecimal. This option enables data integrity checks using dm-verity, if the used image contains the appropriate integrity data (see above). The specified hash must match the root hash of integrity data, and is usually at least 256 bits (and hence 64 formatted hexadecimal characters) long (in case of SHA256 for example). If this option is not specified, but the image file carries the `user.verity.roothash` extended file attribute (see xattr 7), then the root hash is read from it, also as formatted hexadecimal characters. If the extended file attribute is not found (or is not supported by the underlying file system), but a file with the `.roothash` suffix is found next to the image file, bearing otherwise the same name, the root hash is read from it and automatically used, also as formatted hexadecimal characters.

`-a`
`--as-pid2`

  Invoke the shell or specified program as process ID (PID) 2 instead of PID 1 (init). By default, if neither this option nor `--boot` is used, the selected program is run as the process with PID 1, a mode only suitable for programs that are aware of the special semantics that the process with PID 1 has on UNIX. For example, it needs to reap all processes reparented to it, and should implement `sysvinit` compatible signal handling (specifically: it needs to reboot on SIGINT, reexecute on SIGTERM, reload configuration on SIGHUP, and so on). With `--as-pid2` a minimal stub init process is run as PID 1 and the selected program is executed as PID 2 (and hence does not need to implement any special semantics). The stub init process will reap processes as necessary and react appropriately to signals. It is recommended to use this mode to invoke arbitrary commands in containers, unless they have been modified to run correctly as PID 1. Or in other words: this switch should be used for pretty much all commands, except when the command refers to an init or shell implementation, as these are generally capable of running correctly as PID 1. This option may not be combined with `--boot`.

`-b`
`--boot`

  Automatically search for an init program and invoke it as PID 1, instead of a shell or a user supplied program. If this option is used, arguments specified on the command line are used as arguments for the init program. This option may not be combined with `--as-pid2`.

  The following table explains the different modes of invocation and relationship to `--as-pid2` (see above):

  Invocation Mode

  Switch | Explanation
  --- | ---
  Neither `--as-pid2` nor `--boot` specified | The passed parameters are interpreted as the command line, which is executed as PID 1 in the container.
  `--as-pid2` specified | The passed parameters are interpreted as the command line, which is executed as PID 2 in the container. A stub init process is run as PID 1.
  `--boot` specified | An init program is automatically searched for and run as PID 1 in the container. The passed parameters are used as invocation parameters for this process.

  Note that `--boot` is the default mode of operation if the `systemd-nspawn@.service` template unit file is used.

`--chdir=`

  Change to the specified working directory before invoking the process in the container. Expects an absolute path in the container's file system namespace.

`--pivot-root=`

  Pivot the specified directory to `/` inside the container, and either unmount the container's old root, or pivot it to another specified directory. Takes one of: a path argument — in which case the specified path will be pivoted to `/` and the old root will be unmounted; or a colon-separated pair of new root path and pivot destination for the old root. The new root path will be pivoted to `/`, and the old `/` will be pivoted to the other directory. Both paths must be absolute, and are resolved in the container's file system namespace.

  This is for containers which have several bootable directories in them; for example, several OSTree deployments. It emulates the behavior of the boot loader and initial RAM disk which normally select which directory to mount as the root and start the container's PID 1 in.

`-u`
`--user=`

  After transitioning into the container, change to the specified user-defined in the container's user database. Like all other systemd-nspawn features, this is not a security feature and provides protection against accidental destructive operations only.

`-M`
`--machine=`

  Sets the machine name for this container. This name may be used to identify this container during its runtime (for example in tools like machinectl 1 and similar), and is used to initialize the container's hostname (which the container can choose to override, however). If not specified, the last component of the root directory path of the container is used, possibly suffixed with a random identifier in case `--ephemeral` mode is selected. If the root directory selected is the host's root directory the host's hostname is used as default instead.

`--uuid=`

  Set the specified UUID for the container. The init system will initialize `/etc/machine-id` from this if this file is not set yet. Note that this option takes effect only if `/etc/machine-id` in the container is unpopulated.

`-S`
`--slice=`

  Make the container part of the specified slice, instead of the default `machine.slice`. This applies only if the machine is run in its own scope unit, i.e. if `--keep-unit` isn't used.

`--property=`

  Set a unit property on the scope unit to register for the machine. This applies only if the machine is run in its own scope unit, i.e. if `--keep-unit` isn't used. Takes unit property assignments in the same format as `systemctl set-property`. This is useful to set memory limits and similar for container.

`--private-users=`

  Controls user namespacing. If enabled, the container will run with its own private set of UNIX user and group ids (UIDs and GIDs). This involves mapping the private UIDs/GIDs used in the container (starting with the container's root user 0 and up) to a range of UIDs/GIDs on the host that are not used for other purposes (usually in the range beyond the host's UID/GID 65536). The parameter may be specified as follows:

  1. If one or two colon-separated numbers are specified, user namespacing is turned on. The first parameter specifies the first host UID/GID to assign to the container, the second parameter specifies the number of host UIDs/GIDs to assign to the container. If the second parameter is omitted, 65536 UIDs/GIDs are assigned.

  2. If the parameter is omitted, or true, user namespacing is turned on. The UID/GID range to use is determined automatically from the file ownership of the root directory of the container's directory tree. To use this option, make sure to prepare the directory tree in advance, and ensure that all files and directories in it are owned by UIDs/GIDs in the range you'd like to use. Also, make sure that used file ACLs exclusively reference UIDs/GIDs in the appropriate range. If this mode is used the number of UIDs/GIDs assigned to the container for use is 65536, and the UID/GID of the root directory must be a multiple of 65536.

  3. If the parameter is false, user namespacing is turned off. This is the default.

  4. The special value `pick` turns on user namespacing. In this case the UID/GID range is automatically chosen. As first step, the file owner of the root directory of the container's directory tree is read, and it is checked that it is currently not used by the system otherwise (in particular, that no other container is using it). If this check is successful, the UID/GID range determined this way is used, similar to the behavior if "yes" is specified. If the check is not successful (and thus the UID/GID range indicated in the root directory's file owner is already used elsewhere) a new – currently unused – UID/GID range of 65536 UIDs/GIDs is randomly chosen between the host UID/GIDs of 524288 and 1878982656, always starting at a multiple of 65536. This setting implies `--private-users-chown` (see below), which has the effect that the files and directories in the container's directory tree will be owned by the appropriate users of the range picked. Using this option makes user namespace behavior fully automatic. Note that the first invocation of a previously unused container image might result in picking a new UID/GID range for it, and thus in the (possibly expensive) file ownership adjustment operation. However, subsequent invocations of the container will be cheap (unless of course the picked UID/GID range is assigned to a different use by then).

  It is recommended to assign at least 65536 UIDs/GIDs to each container, so that the usable UID/GID range in the container covers 16 bit. For best security, do not assign overlapping UID/GID ranges to multiple containers. It is hence a good idea to use the upper 16 bit of the host 32-bit UIDs/GIDs as container identifier, while the lower 16 bit encode the container UID/GID used. This is in fact the behavior enforced by the `--private-users=pick` option.

  When user namespaces are used, the GID range assigned to each container is always chosen identical to the UID range.

  In most cases, using `--private-users=pick` is the recommended option as it enhances container security massively and operates fully automatically in most cases.

  Note that the picked UID/GID range is not written to `/etc/passwd` or `/etc/group`. In fact, the allocation of the range is not stored persistently anywhere, except in the file ownership of the files and directories of the container.

  Note that when user namespacing is used file ownership on disk reflects this, and all of the container's files and directories are owned by the container's effective user and group IDs. This means that copying files from and to the container image requires correction of the numeric UID/GID values, according to the UID/GID shift applied.

`--private-users-chown`

  If specified, all files and directories in the container's directory tree will adjusted so that they are owned to the appropriate UIDs/GIDs selected for the container (see above). This operation is potentially expensive, as it involves descending and iterating through the full directory tree of the container. Besides actual file ownership, file ACLs are adjusted as well.

  This option is implied if `--private-users=pick` is used. This option has no effect if user namespacing is not used.

`-U`

  If the kernel supports the user namespaces feature, equivalent to `--private-users=pick --private-users-chown`, otherwise equivalent to `--private-users=no`.

  Note that `-U` is the default if the `systemd-nspawn@.service` template unit file is used.

  Note: it is possible to undo the effect of `--private-users-chown` (or `-U`) on the file system by redoing the operation with the first UID of 0:

      systemd-nspawn … --private-users=0 --private-users-chown

`--private-network`

  Disconnect networking of the container from the host. This makes all network interfaces unavailable in the container, with the exception of the loopback device and those specified with `--network-interface=` and configured with `--network-veth`. If this option is specified, the CAP_NET_ADMIN capability will be added to the set of capabilities the container retains. The latter may be disabled by using `--drop-capability=`.

`--network-namespace-path=`

  Takes the path to a file representing a kernel network namespace that the container shall run in. The specified path should refer to a (possibly bind-mounted) network namespace file, as exposed by the kernel below `/proc/$PID/ns/net`. This makes the container enter the given network namespace. One of the typical use cases is to give a network namespace under `/run/netns` created by ip-netns 8, for example, `--network-namespace-path=/run/netns/foo`. Note that this option cannot be used together with other network-related options, such as `--private-network` or `--network-interface=`.

`--network-interface=`

  Assign the specified network interface to the container. This will remove the specified interface from the calling namespace and place it in the container. When the container terminates, it is moved back to the host namespace. Note that `--network-interface=` implies `--private-network`. This option may be used more than once to add multiple network interfaces to the container.

`--network-macvlan=`

  Create a `macvlan` interface of the specified Ethernet network interface and add it to the container. A `macvlan` interface is a virtual interface that adds a second MAC address to an existing physical Ethernet link. The interface in the container will be named after the interface on the host, prefixed with `mv-`. Note that `--network-macvlan=` implies `--private-network`. This option may be used more than once to add multiple network interfaces to the container.

`--network-ipvlan=`

  Create an `ipvlan` interface of the specified Ethernet network interface and add it to the container. An `ipvlan` interface is a virtual interface, similar to a `macvlan` interface, which uses the same MAC address as the underlying interface. The interface in the container will be named after the interface on the host, prefixed with `iv-`. Note that `--network-ipvlan=` implies `--private-network`. This option may be used more than once to add multiple network interfaces to the container.

`-n`
`--network-veth`

  Create a virtual Ethernet link (`veth`) between host and container. The host side of the Ethernet link will be available as a network interface named after the container's name (as specified with `--machine=`), prefixed with `ve-`. The container side of the Ethernet link will be named `host0`. The `--network-veth` option implies `--private-network`.

  Note that systemd-networkd.service 8 includes by default a network file `/usr/lib/systemd/network/80-container-ve.network` matching the host-side interfaces created this way, which contains settings to enable automatic address provisioning on the created virtual link via DHCP, as well as automatic IP routing onto the host's external network interfaces. It also contains `/usr/lib/systemd/network/80-container-host0.network` matching the container-side interface created this way, containing settings to enable client side address assignment via DHCP. In case `systemd-networkd` is running on both the host and inside the container, automatic IP communication from the container to the host is thus available, with further connectivity to the external network.

  Note that `--network-veth` is the default if the `systemd-nspawn@.service` template unit file is used.

`--network-veth-extra=`

  Adds an additional virtual Ethernet link between host and container. Takes a colon-separated pair of host interface name and container interface name. The latter may be omitted in which case the container and host sides will be assigned the same name. This switch is independent of `--network-veth`, and — in contrast — may be used multiple times, and allows configuration of the network interface names. Note that `--network-bridge=` has no effect on interfaces created with `--network-veth-extra=`.

`--network-bridge=`

  Adds the host side of the Ethernet link created with `--network-veth` to the specified Ethernet bridge interface. Expects a valid network interface name of a bridge device as argument. Note that `--network-bridge=` implies `--network-veth`. If this option is used, the host side of the Ethernet link will use the `vb-` prefix instead of `ve-`.

`--network-zone=`

  Creates a virtual Ethernet link (`veth`) to the container and adds it to an automatically managed Ethernet bridge interface. The bridge interface is named after the passed argument, prefixed with `vz-`. The bridge interface is automatically created when the first container configured for its name is started, and is automatically removed when the last container configured for its name exits. Hence, each bridge interface configured this way exists only as long as there's at least one container referencing it running. This option is very similar to `--network-bridge=`, besides this automatic creation/removal of the bridge device.

  This setting makes it easy to place multiple related containers on a common, virtual Ethernet-based broadcast domain, here called a "zone". Each container may only be part of one zone, but each zone may contain any number of containers. Each zone is referenced by its name. Names may be chosen freely (as long as they form valid network interface names when prefixed with `vz-`), and it is sufficient to pass the same name to the `--network-zone=` switch of the various concurrently running containers to join them in one zone.

  Note that systemd-networkd.service 8 includes by default a network file `/usr/lib/systemd/network/80-container-vz.network` matching the bridge interfaces created this way, which contains settings to enable automatic address provisioning on the created virtual network via DHCP, as well as automatic IP routing onto the host's external network interfaces. Using `--network-zone=` is hence in most cases fully automatic and sufficient to connect multiple local containers in a joined broadcast domain to the host, with further connectivity to the external network.

`-p`
`--port=`

  If private networking is enabled, maps an IP port on the host onto an IP port on the container. Takes a protocol specifier (either `tcp` or `udp`), separated by a colon from a host port number in the range 1 to 65535, separated by a colon from a container port number in the range from 1 to 65535. The protocol specifier and its separating colon may be omitted, in which case `tcp` is assumed. The container port number and its colon may be omitted, in which case the same port as the host port is implied. This option is only supported if private networking is used, such as with `--network-veth`, `--network-zone=` `--network-bridge=`.

`-Z`
`--selinux-context=`

  Sets the SELinux security context to be used to label processes in the container.

`-L`
`--selinux-apifs-context=`

  Sets the SELinux security context to be used to label files in the virtual API file systems in the container.

`--capability=`

  List one or more additional capabilities to grant the container. Takes a comma-separated list of capability names, see capabilities 7 for more information. Note that the following capabilities will be granted in any way: CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL, CAP_AUDIT_WRITE, CAP_CHOWN, CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE, CAP_DAC_READ_SEARCH, CAP_FOWNER, CAP_FSETID, CAP_IPC_OWNER, CAP_KILL, CAP_LEASE, CAP_LINUX_IMMUTABLE, CAP_MKNOD, CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE, CAP_NET_BROADCAST, CAP_NET_RAW, CAP_SETFCAP, CAP_SETGID, CAP_SETPCAP, CAP_SETUID, CAP_SYS_ADMIN, CAP_SYS_BOOT, CAP_SYS_CHROOT, CAP_SYS_NICE, CAP_SYS_PTRACE, CAP_SYS_RESOURCE, CAP_SYS_TTY_CONFIG. Also CAP_NET_ADMIN is retained if `--private-network` is specified. If the special value `all` is passed, all capabilities are retained.

`--drop-capability=`

  Specify one or more additional capabilities to drop for the container. This allows running the container with fewer capabilities than the default (see above).

`--system-call-filter=`

  Alter the system call filter applied to containers. Takes a space-separated list of system call names or group names (the latter prefixed with `@`, as listed by the `syscall-filter` command of systemd-analyze 1). Passed system calls will be permitted. The list may optionally be prefixed by `~`, in which case all listed system calls are prohibited. If this command line option is used multiple times the configured lists are combined. If both a positive and a negative list (that is one system call list without and one with the `~` prefix) are configured, the negative list takes precedence over the positive list. Note that `systemd-nspawn` always implements a system call whitelist (as opposed to a blacklist), and this command line option hence adds or removes entries from the default whitelist, depending on the `~` prefix. Note that the applied system call filter is also altered implicitly if additional capabilities are passed using the `--capabilities=`.

`--kill-signal=`

  Specify the process signal to send to the container's PID 1 when nspawn itself receives SIGTERM, in order to trigger an orderly shutdown of the container. Defaults to SIGRTMIN+3 if `--boot` is used (on systemd-compatible init systems SIGRTMIN+3 triggers an orderly shutdown). For a list of valid signals, see signal 7.

`--link-journal=`

  Control whether the container's journal shall be made visible to the host system. If enabled, allows viewing the container's journal files from the host (but not vice versa). Takes one of `no`, `host`, `try-host`, `guest`, `try-guest`, `auto`. If `no`, the journal is not linked. If `host`, the journal files are stored on the host file system (beneath `/var/log/journal/machine-id`) and the subdirectory is bind-mounted into the container at the same location. If `guest`, the journal files are stored on the guest file system (beneath `/var/log/journal/machine-id`) and the subdirectory is symlinked into the host at the same location. `try-host` and `try-guest` do the same but do not fail if the host does not have persistent journaling enabled. If `auto` (the default), and the right subdirectory of `/var/log/journal` exists, it will be bind mounted into the container. If the subdirectory does not exist, no linking is performed. Effectively, booting a container once with `guest` or `host` will link the journal persistently if further on the default of `auto` is used.

  Note that `--link-journal=try-guest` is the default if the `systemd-nspawn@.service` template unit file is used.

`-j`

  Equivalent to `--link-journal=try-guest`.

`--read-only`

  Mount the root file system read-only for the container.

`--bind=`
`--bind-ro=`

  Bind mount a file or directory from the host into the container. Takes one of: a path argument — in which case the specified path will be mounted from the host to the same path in the container, or a colon-separated pair of paths — in which case the first specified path is the source in the host, and the second path is the destination in the container, or a colon-separated triple of source path, destination path and mount options. The source path may optionally be prefixed with a `+` character. If so, the source path is taken relative to the image's root directory. This permits setting up bind mounts within the container image. The source path may be specified as empty string, in which case a temporary directory below the host's `/var/tmp` directory is used. It is automatically removed when the container is shut down. Mount options are comma-separated and currently, only `rbind` and `norbind` are allowed, controlling whether to create a recursive or a regular bind mount. Defaults to "rbind". Backslash escapes are interpreted, so `\:` may be used to embed colons in either path. This option may be specified multiple times for creating multiple independent bind mount points. The `--bind-ro=` option creates read-only bind mounts.

  Note that when this option is used in combination with `--private-users`, the resulting mount points will be owned by the `nobody` user. That's because the mount and its files and directories continue to be owned by the relevant host users and groups, which do not exist in the container, and thus show up under the wildcard UID 65534 (nobody). If such bind mounts are created, it is recommended to make them read-only, using `--bind-ro=`.

`--tmpfs=`

  Mount a tmpfs file system into the container. Takes a single absolute path argument that specifies where to mount the tmpfs instance to (in which case the directory access mode will be chosen as 0755, owned by root/root), or optionally a colon-separated pair of path and mount option string that is used for mounting (in which case the kernel default for access mode and owner will be chosen, unless otherwise specified). This option is particularly useful for mounting directories such as `/var` as tmpfs, to allow state-less systems, in particular when combined with `--read-only`. Backslash escapes are interpreted in the path, so `\:` may be used to embed colons in the path.

`--overlay=`
`--overlay-ro=`

  Combine multiple directory trees into one overlay file system and mount it into the container. Takes a list of colon-separated paths to the directory trees to combine and the destination mount point.

  Backslash escapes are interpreted in the paths, so `\:` may be used to embed colons in the paths.

  If three or more paths are specified, then the last specified path is the destination mount point in the container, all paths specified before refer to directory trees on the host and are combined in the specified order into one overlay file system. The left-most path is hence the lowest directory tree, the second-to-last path the highest directory tree in the stacking order. If `--overlay-ro=` is used instead of `--overlay=`, a read-only overlay file system is created. If a writable overlay file system is created, all changes made to it are written to the highest directory tree in the stacking order, i.e. the second-to-last specified.

  If only two paths are specified, then the second specified path is used both as the top-level directory tree in the stacking order as seen from the host, as well as the mount point for the overlay file system in the container. At least two paths have to be specified.

  The source paths may optionally be prefixed with `+` character. If so they are taken relative to the image's root directory. The uppermost source path may also be specified as empty string, in which case a temporary directory below the host's `/var/tmp` is used. The directory is removed automatically when the container is shut down. This behaviour is useful in order to make read-only container directories writable while the container is running. For example, use the `--overlay=+/var::/var` option in order to automatically overlay a writable temporary directory on a read-only `/var` directory.

  For details about overlay file systems, see overlayfs.txt. Note that the semantics of overlay file systems are substantially different from normal file systems, in particular regarding reported device and inode information. Device and inode information may change for a file while it is being written to, and processes might see out-of-date versions of files at times. Note that this switch automatically derives the `workdir=` mount option for the overlay file system from the top-level directory tree, making it a sibling of it. It is hence essential that the top-level directory tree is not a mount point itself (since the working directory must be on the same file system as the top-most directory tree). Also note that the `lowerdir=` mount option receives the paths to stack in the opposite order of this switch.

`-E NAME=VALUE`
`--setenv=NAME=VALUE`

  Specifies an environment variable assignment to pass to the init process in the container, in the format `NAME=VALUE`. This may be used to override the default variables or to set additional variables. This parameter may be used more than once.

`--register=`

  Controls whether the container is registered with systemd-machined 8. Takes a boolean argument, which defaults to `yes`. This option should be enabled when the container runs a full Operating System (more specifically: a system and service manager as PID 1), and is useful to ensure that the container is accessible via machinectl 1 and shown by tools such as ps 1. If the container does not run a service manager, it is recommended to set this option to `no`.

`--keep-unit`

  Instead of creating a transient scope unit to run the container in, simply use the service or scope unit `systemd-nspawn` has been invoked in. If `--register=yes` is set this unit is registered with systemd-machined 8. This switch should be used if `systemd-nspawn` is invoked from within a service unit, and the service unit's sole purpose is to run a single `systemd-nspawn` container. This option is not available if run from a user session.

  Note that passing `--keep-unit` disables the effect of `--slice=` and `--property=`. Use `--keep-unit` and `--register=no` in combination to disable any kind of unit allocation or registration with `systemd-machined`.

`--personality=`

  Control the architecture ("personality") reported by uname 2 in the container. Currently, only `x86` and `x86-64` are supported. This is useful when running a 32-bit container on a 64-bit host. If this setting is not used, the personality reported in the container is the same as the one reported on the host.

`-q`
`--quiet`

  Turns off any status output by the tool itself. When this switch is used, the only output from nspawn will be the console output of the container OS itself.

`--volatile`
`--volatile=`MODE

  Boots the container in volatile mode. When no mode parameter is passed or when mode is specified as `yes`, full volatile mode is enabled. This means the root directory is mounted as a mostly unpopulated `tmpfs` instance, and `/usr` from the OS tree is mounted into it in read-only mode (the system thus starts up with read-only OS image, but pristine state and configuration, any changes are lost on shutdown). When the mode parameter is specified as `state`, the OS tree is mounted read-only, but `/var` is mounted as a `tmpfs` instance into it (the system thus starts up with read-only OS resources and configuration, but pristine state, and any changes to the latter are lost on shutdown). When the mode parameter is specified as `no` (the default), the whole OS tree is made available writable.

  This option provides similar functionality for containers as the `systemd.volatile=` kernel command line switch provides for host systems. See kernel-command-line 7 for details.

  Note that enabling this setting will only work correctly with operating systems in the container that can boot up with only `/usr` mounted, and are able to automatically populate `/var`, and also `/etc` in case of `--volatile=yes`.

`--settings=`MODE

  Controls whether `systemd-nspawn` shall search for and use additional per-container settings from `.nspawn` files. Takes a boolean or the special values `override` or `trusted`.

  If enabled (the default), a settings file named after the machine (as specified with the `--machine=` setting, or derived from the directory or image file name) with the suffix `.nspawn` is searched in `/etc/systemd/nspawn/` and `/run/systemd/nspawn/`. If it is found there, its settings are read and used. If it is not found there, it is subsequently searched in the same directory as the image file or in the immediate parent of the root directory of the container. In this case, if the file is found, its settings will be also read and used, but potentially unsafe settings are ignored. Note that in both these cases, settings on the command line take precedence over the corresponding settings from loaded `.nspawn` files, if both are specified. Unsafe settings are considered all settings that elevate the container's privileges or grant access to additional resources such as files or directories of the host. For details about the format and contents of `.nspawn` files, consult systemd.nspawn 5.

  If this option is set to `override`, the file is searched, read and used the same way, however, the order of precedence is reversed: settings read from the `.nspawn` file will take precedence over the corresponding command line options, if both are specified.

  If this option is set to `trusted`, the file is searched, read and used the same way, but regardless of being found in `/etc/systemd/nspawn/`, `/run/systemd/nspawn/` or next to the image file or container root directory, all settings will take effect, however, command line arguments still take precedence over corresponding settings.

  If disabled, no `.nspawn` file is read and no settings except the ones on the command line are in effect.

`--notify-ready=`

  Configures support for notifications from the container's init process. `--notify-ready=` takes a boolean (`no` and `yes`). With option `no` systemd-nspawn notifies systemd with a `READY=1` message when the init process is created. With option `yes` systemd-nspawn waits for the `READY=1` message from the init process in the container before sending its own to systemd. For more details about notifications see sd_notify 3).

## Examples

Download a Fedora image and start a shell in it

    # machinectl pull-raw --verify=no \
          https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/25/CloudImages/x86_64/images/Fedora-Cloud-Base-25-1.3.x86_64.raw.xz
    # systemd-nspawn -M Fedora-Cloud-Base-25-1.3.x86_64.raw

This downloads an image using machinectl 1 and opens a shell in it.

Build and boot a minimal Fedora distribution in a container

    # dnf -y --releasever=27 --installroot=/var/lib/machines/f27container \
          --disablerepo='*' --enablerepo=fedora --enablerepo=updates install \
          systemd passwd dnf fedora-release vim-minimal
    # systemd-nspawn -bD /var/lib/machines/f27container

This installs a minimal Fedora distribution into the directory `/var/lib/machines/f27container` and then boots an OS in a namespace container in it. Because the installation is located underneath the standard `/var/lib/machines/` directory, it is also possible to start the machine using `systemd-nspawn -M f27container`.

Spawn a shell in a container of a minimal Debian unstable distribution

    # debootstrap unstable ~/debian-tree/
    # systemd-nspawn -D ~/debian-tree/

This installs a minimal Debian unstable distribution into the directory `~/debian-tree/` and then spawns a shell in a namespace container in it.

`debootstrap` supports Debian, Ubuntu, and Tanglu out of the box, so the same command can be used to install any of those. For other distributions from the Debian family, a mirror has to be specified, see debootstrap 8.

Boot a minimal Arch Linux distribution in a container

    # pacstrap -c -d ~/arch-tree/ base
    # systemd-nspawn -bD ~/arch-tree/

This installs a minimal Arch Linux distribution into the directory `~/arch-tree/` and then boots an OS in a namespace container in it.

Install the OpenSUSE Tumbleweed rolling distribution

    # zypper --root=/var/lib/machines/tumbleweed ar -c \
          https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss tumbleweed
    # zypper --root=/var/lib/machines/tumbleweed refresh
    # zypper --root=/var/lib/machines/tumbleweed install --no-recommends \
          systemd shadow zypper openSUSE-release vim
    # systemd-nspawn -M tumbleweed passwd root
    # systemd-nspawn -M tumbleweed -b

Boot into an ephemeral snapshot of the host system

    # systemd-nspawn -D / -xb

This runs a copy of the host system in a snapshot which is removed immediately when the container exits. All file system changes made during runtime will be lost on shutdown, hence.

Run a container with SELinux sandbox security contexts

    # chcon system_u:object_r:svirt_sandbox_file_t:s0:c0,c1 -R /srv/container
    # systemd-nspawn -L system_u:object_r:svirt_sandbox_file_t:s0:c0,c1 \
          -Z system_u:system_r:svirt_lxc_net_t:s0:c0,c1 -D /srv/container /bin/sh

Run a container with an OSTree deployment

    # systemd-nspawn -b -i ~/image.raw \
          --pivot-root=/ostree/deploy/$OS/deploy/$CHECKSUM:/sysroot \
          --bind=+/sysroot/ostree/deploy/$OS/var:/var

## Exit status

The exit code of the program executed in the container is returned.

## See Also

systemd 1, systemd.nspawn 5, chroot 1, dnf 8, debootstrap 8, pacman 8, zypper 8, systemd.slice 5, machinectl 1, btrfs 8