Command Line

swiftvm does from a terminal what the app does from the menu bar. It drives the running app, so SwiftVM must be open.

Install#

Homebrew puts swiftvm on your PATH. Otherwise choose Settings… → Command Line → Install Command Line Tool…, which links /usr/local/bin/swiftvm. The tool itself is inside the app, at SwiftVM.app/Contents/Helpers/swiftvm.

Basics#

swiftvm help                 # every command
swiftvm list                 # your machines
swiftvm info web-server      # one machine in detail

<machine> is a machine's name, its SSH name, or its UUID.

Machines#

Command	What it does
`list`	List virtual machines
`info <machine>`	Show one machine in detail
`create <system> [options]`	Create a machine and wait until it is ready
`clone <machine> [name]`	Copy a machine that is shut down
`resize <machine> <GB>`	Grow the disk of a machine that is shut down
`open <machine>`	Show the machine's window
`delete <machine>`	Move a stopped machine to the Trash

<system> is macos, or a Linux image: ubuntu-26.04, ubuntu-24.04, or debian-13.

swiftvm scripts lists the setup scripts for --script: SwiftVM's templates, and your own. With a Linux image, as in swiftvm scripts debian-13, it lists those for that image.

`create` option	What it sets
`--name <name>`	The machine's name
`--cpus <n>`	Processors
`--memory <GB>`	Memory
`--disk <GB>`	Disk size
`--user <name>`	The account's name
`--password <password>`	The account's password. Required for macOS
`--ipsw <file>`	macOS: install this restore image instead of downloading the latest
`--script <name>`	Linux: run a setup script on the first start, by its name in `swiftvm scripts`. A desktop needs `--password`
`--script <file>`	The same with a file, by its path: `./mine.sh`
`--script … --script …`	Several, which run in that order
`--no-start`	Don't start the machine when it is ready

Power#

Command	What it does
`start <machine>`	Start, or resume a suspended machine
`stop <machine>`	Shut down and wait
`restart <machine>`	Shut down and start again
`suspend <machine>`	Save the machine's state to disk
`pause <machine>`, `resume <machine>`	Freeze the machine in memory, and continue
`force-stop <machine>`	Stop immediately
`discard-state <machine>`	Throw away a suspended machine's saved state

Connecting#

Command	What it does
`ssh <machine> [--vsock] [ssh arguments]`	Open a shell or run a command in the guest. See SSH
`ip <machine>`	Print the machine's IP address
`console <machine>`	Connect to a Linux guest's serial console. `Ctrl+]` leaves
`vsock <machine> <port>`	Connect input and output to a port in the guest over its socket device
`plug <machine>`, `unplug <machine>`	Plug in the network cable, or pull it
`forward <machine> <port>[:<guest port>]`	Forward a port. `--udp`, `--allow-others`
`unforward <machine> <port>`	Stop forwarding it. `--udp`

Command	What it does
`share <machine> <folder>`	Share a folder. `--read-only`
`unshare <machine> <folder>`	Stop sharing it
`share-clipboard <machine> on\|off`	Share the clipboard, or stop
`attach <machine> <image>`	Plug in a disc or disk image. `--read-only`
`eject <machine> <image>`	Unplug it
`usb`	List the USB devices SwiftVM has
`usb attach <machine> <device>`	Hand a USB device to a running machine
`usb detach <machine> <device>`	Give it back to your Mac
`usb auto <machine> <device> on\|off`	Attach it whenever it is plugged in, or stop
`install-tools <machine>`	Install the guest tools. `--disc`, `--password <password>`

Automation#

These work inside a running guest, through its guest tools. See Automation.

Command	What it does
`wait <machine>`	Wait until the guest tools answer. `--timeout <seconds>`
`exec <machine> [--] <command>`	Run a command in the guest, and end with its exit status. `--root`, `--user <name>`, `--cwd <folder>`, `--env <name>=<value>`, `--timeout <seconds>`
`cp <from> <to>`	Copy a file or a folder into the guest or out of it. The guest's side is `<machine>:<path>`. `--root`, `--user <name>`
`screenshot <machine> [file]`	Save what is on the guest's screen as a PNG
`ui <machine> click <x> <y>`	Click. Also `double-click`, `right-click`, `move`, `drag <x> <y> <to x> <to y>`, and `scroll <x> <y> up\|down\|left\|right`
`ui <machine> type <text>`	Type text
`ui <machine> key <key>…`	Press keys: `Return`, `ctrl+c`
`ui <machine> tree`	Print what is on the screen as a tree, in JSON. `--app <name>`, `--depth <levels>`, `--all`
`ui <machine> press <element>`	Press a part of the tree, by its `id`. Also `focus <element>` and `set <element> <text>`
`automation <machine> on\|off`	Let all of the above work in the machine, or not

Snapshots#

Command	What it does
`snapshot <machine> [name]`	Take a snapshot
`snapshots <machine>`	List snapshots
`revert <machine> <snapshot>`	Go back to a snapshot
`rename-snapshot <machine> <snapshot> <new name>`	Rename one
`delete-snapshot <machine> <snapshot>`	Delete one

Quitting#

swiftvm quit quits the app. It never asks anything, so it refuses while a machine is running. While one is being created it refuses too, unless you add --cancel-creations.

Example#

swiftvm create ubuntu-26.04 --name "Web Server" --cpus 2 --memory 4 --disk 32
swiftvm create debian-13 --name "Desk" --script xfce --script docker --password 'a password'
swiftvm share web-server ~/Projects
swiftvm forward web-server 8080:80
swiftvm snapshot web-server "Before upgrade"
swiftvm ssh web-server
swiftvm exec web-server --root -- apt-get install -y nginx
swiftvm cp ./site web-server:/var/www
swiftvm suspend web-server
swiftvm start web-server