devvmhq/devvm

What it does

devvm gives each project folder its own isolated Linux virtual machine, built from a shared base image and populated with the toolchains the project needs. The VM mounts only the project folder, at the same path as on the host, and drops you into a shell where you or a coding agent can work. It is aimed at developers who want repeatable, sealed environments without maintaining global installs, and at teams running agents like Claude Code inside a sandbox.

Install

On macOS via Homebrew (also installs Lima):

brew trust --formula devvmhq/tap/devvm
brew install devvmhq/tap/devvm

On Linux, or macOS without Homebrew, the install script asks before installing Lima, QEMU or /dev/kvm access:

curl -fsSL https://github.com/devvmhq/devvm/releases/latest/download/install.sh | bash

Releases are signed with devvm's minisign key, and the install script checking guide explains how to verify the script before running it. Then run devvm doctor to see whether the host has what it needs. Full requirements and script options are in the installation docs.

Quick start

cd ~/some-project
devvm

The first run asks a few questions that set defaults for new VMs and the base image; building that image takes a few minutes, later VMs start in seconds. The command previews the toolchains detected from project files (for example, package.json selects Node), then confirms or lets you customize agents, layers, network tier and size. After the VM boots, the shell prompt starts with (devvm). To use Claude Code there, run devvm agent login claude first; it keeps the login on your machine. Running devvm in the same folder again reopens the existing VM. The first VM walkthrough covers the remaining details.

Working on a clone

By default the VM and your editor share the project files. devvm --clone gives the VM its own clone instead, so nothing inside can change your working tree or .git; you pull work back with git fetch devvm and review it as devvm/<branch> before merging. See clone details.

Constraints

• Host: macOS 13 or newer, or Linux, on arm64 or x86_64, with Lima 2.2 or newer.
• Tested on Apple silicon Macs and on Linux for arm64 and x86_64, not yet on Intel Macs.
• Supported coding agents are Claude Code, Codex and opencode; their settings, skills and MCP servers live in a devvm-owned store, and devvm agent import copies them from an existing local setup.
• New VMs default to an allowlist network tier, so they can only reach hosts you permit; secret tokens stay on the host on every tier.
• The README states that no sandbox closes every gap; review Staying safe before trusting a VM with a project.
• License: MIT.

HotRepo's take

The project is brand new, created in November 2026, and entered HotRepo's new-project list in the Go language view on its first recorded day with 104 stars and 2 forks over roughly 15 hours. There is no full-language daily rank on record, and a single snapshot is too little to describe a trend. What the record does show is early, concentrated attention on a tool whose premise—one disposable sandbox per project, shared read-only toolchain images, agent logins kept on the host—fits current interest in running coding agents safely. The README's candid note that no sandbox is complete, plus documented internals for verifying claims, is the part worth watching as adoption grows.