Apple simplifies running Linux containers on Macs
At WWDC 2025, Apple introduced an open-source framework that lets you run Linux containers as lightweight virtual machines right on your Mac—providing an alternative to Docker or other third-party tools. Built for Apple Silicon, this feature is coming with macOS 26.
More secure and private setup
Called Apple Container, the framework is written in Swift and spins up each Linux container inside its own tiny VM with a unique IP address. This setup makes things more secure and private, starts up super fast (think sub-second), and keeps maintenance simple by using minimal system files.
Apple Container is open-source and available in developer beta
Apple Container follows Open Container Initiative standards, so it is designed to be compatible with existing tools. Unlike Docker's one-big-VM approach, each container here gets its own lightweight VM for better resource isolation. It's open-source and available now in developer beta—so you can try it out before the full macOS 26 launch.