Canonical Multipass

This note was created on 2023-02-03
This note was last edited on 2023-02-03

Multipass is a tool to generate cloud-style Ubuntu VMs quickly on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
It gives you a simple but powerful CLI that allows you to quickly access an Ubuntu command line or create your own local mini-cloud.

=== How to install ===
Install Multipass:
# snap install multipass multipass-sshfs

=== How to use Multipass ===
Create instance:
$ multipass launch --name box

Start existing instance:
$ multipass start box

Suspend instance:
$ multipass suspend box

Stop instance:
$ multipass stop box

List instances:
$ multipass list

Run single command:
$ multipass exec box pwd

Run command with arguments:
$ multipass exec box -- lsb_release -a

Connect to shell:
$ multipass shell box

Transfer files:
$ multipass transfer ./Keys/projectname/* box:/home/ubuntu/Keys/

Mount directory:
$ multipass mount ./Development/ProjectName box:/home/ubuntu/Development

Unmount directory:
$ multipass umount box:/home/ubuntu/Development

=== Primary instance ===
When launching the primary instance, whether implicitly or explicitly, Multipass automatically mounts the calling user’s home inside it, in the folder Home. As with any other mount, it can be unmounted with multipass umount. For instance, multipass umount primary will unmount all mounts made by Multipass inside primary, including the auto-mounted Home.

Set primary instance:
$ multipass set client.primary-name=box

Launch primary instance:
$ multipass start

=== Aliases ===
List aliases:
$ multipass aliases

Create alias:
$ multipass alias box:ls lsbox

Remove alias:
$ multipass unalias lsbox

Execute alias:
$ multipass lsbox

Execute alias with arguments:
$ multipass lsbox -- -l

=== Cleanup ===
Delete instance (could be seen in "list"):
$ multipass delete box

Restore instance after deleting:
$ multipass recover box

Completely delete instance:
$ multipass delete --purge box

Completely remove all deleted instances:
$ multipass purge

=== Additional configuration ===
View instance stats:
$ multipass info box

Get additional configuration:
$ multipass get local.box.cpus
$ multipass get local.box.memory
$ multipass get local.box.disk

Change configuration:
$ multipass set local.box.cpus=1
$ multipass get local.box.memory=4G
$ multipass get local.box.disk=60G