# Orbstack CLI > Command reference and recipes for driving OrbStack from the terminal on macOS: the orb/orbctl CLI for Linux VMs (create, start/stop, exec, file transfer, clone, export/import, per-VM CPU/memory limits), Docker under OrbStack (contexts, platform/Rosetta, volume extension commands, migrate from Docker Desktop, debug shell), container domains (.orb.local) and networking (port-forwarding, host.docker.internal, proxies, IP ranges), SSH access, Kubernetes, every config key, and headless/CI automation. Use whenever the user runs or asks about an `orb`, `orbctl`, or OrbStack-flavored `docker` command, manages OrbStack Linux machines, runs containers locally on a Mac, sets up .orb.local domains or port-forwarding, scripts OrbStack in CI, or hits an OrbStack networking/daemon problem - even phrased loosely as "spin up an ubuntu VM", "my container isn't reachable on localhost", "use Docker on my Mac", or "OrbStack keeps resetting the connection". - Skill: `bastos/orbstack-cli` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 10 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add bastos/orbstack-cli` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/bastos/orbstack-cli/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: DevOps & Infra - Author: bastos (https://skillmd.com/u/bastos) - Updated: 2026-09-10 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/bastos/orbstack-cli --- # OrbStack CLI OrbStack is a fast Docker + Linux VM runtime for macOS (a Docker Desktop replacement). You drive it from the terminal with four commands. This skill is the **command index and recipe book**; read the matching `references/` file when you need full flags or detail. ## Which command do I use? | Command | Use it for | |---------|-----------| | `orb` (no args) | Open a shell in the **default** Linux machine | | `orb [args]` | Run `` **inside** the default Linux machine (e.g. `orb uname -a`) | | `orb ` / `orbctl ` | **Manage** OrbStack and its machines (create, start, config, logs...) | | `docker` / `docker compose` / `kubectl` | Build/run containers and Kubernetes - run these straight from macOS, no VM needed | | `mac ` | Run a **macOS** command from *inside* a Linux machine (e.g. `mac open`, `mac notify`) | `orb` and `orbctl` are the same binary: `orb foo` runs `foo` in Linux, but `orb create`/`orb start`/etc. (any known subcommand) manage OrbStack. When a name could collide, prefer `orbctl ` to be explicit. ## Cheat sheet (most common) ```bash # Machines orb create ubuntu # newest Ubuntu, VM named "ubuntu" orb create ubuntu:24.04 dev # specific version + name orb list # list machines + status orb # shell into default machine orb -m dev -u root apt update # run a command in "dev" as root orb push ~/file.txt code/ # copy Mac -> Linux (~/code/) orb pull code/out.log . # copy Linux -> Mac orb stop dev / orb start dev / orb delete dev # Docker (just use docker; OrbStack is the "orbstack" context) docker run -p 80:80 nginx # then visit http://localhost docker run -l dev.orbstack.domains=app.local nginx # custom domain # Kubernetes orb start k8s && kubectl get pods -A # Service control / health orb status # Running=0, Stopped=1, Starting=2 orb doctor --fix # verify + repair Docker integration orb restart docker # restart just the Docker engine # Config (see `orb config show` for all keys) orb config set memory_mib 8192 orb config set cpu 4 ``` ## Key facts you can rely on - **Auto port-forwarding:** a server listening inside a container or VM is reachable on the same port on macOS `localhost` - no `-p` needed for VMs, and containers are *also* reachable by domain without any mapping. - **Domains:** every container is at `.orb.local`; compose services at `..orb.local`; VMs at `.orb.local`. All get zero-config HTTPS. Visit `https://orb.local` for an index of running containers. → `references/domains.md` - **Docker context** is named `orbstack` and is selected automatically. If `docker` says "cannot connect to the daemon": `docker context use orbstack` or `orb doctor --fix`. → `references/docker.md` - **File paths:** Linux files from macOS at `~/OrbStack//`; macOS files from Linux at `/mnt/mac/...`; Docker volumes at `~/OrbStack/docker/volumes/`. - **Exit codes** make `orb` scriptable: `orb status` (0/1/2), `orb update -c` (0 = current, 3 = outdated). → `references/headless.md` ## Full command index Every `orbctl`/`orb` subcommand. Read the linked reference for flags + examples. | Subcommand | What it does | Reference | |-----------|--------------|-----------| | `create` | Create a Linux machine (distro\[:version] \[name]) | machines.md | | `list` / `info` | List machines / show one machine's details (`-f json`) | machines.md | | `default` | Get or set the default machine | machines.md | | `start` / `stop` / `restart` | Start/stop/restart machine(s); bare `orb stop` stops **all** of OrbStack | machines.md | | `delete` | Permanently delete machine(s) (`-a` all, `-f` force) | machines.md | | `clone` / `rename` | Copy / rename a machine | machines.md | | `export` / `import` | Save a machine to / restore from a `.tar.zst` | machines.md | | `run` (alias `exec`/`shell`) | Run a command in a machine (`-m`, `-u`, `-w`, `ORBENV`) | machines.md | | `push` / `pull` | Copy files Mac↔Linux | machines.md | | `logs` | Unified machine logs (`-a` for all/debug) | machines.md, troubleshooting.md | | `ssh` | Print SSH connection details | ssh.md | | `usb` / `serial` | USB passthrough (attach/detach/list/info) / serial devices | machines.md | | `docker` | Docker **extension** cmds: `volume` (clone/export/import), `migrate` | docker.md | | `debug` (Pro) | Open a debug shell with tools in any container | docker.md | | `k8s` | Show Kubernetes usage (`orb start k8s`) | kubernetes.md | | `config` | get/set/add/remove/show/reset settings; `config docker` edits engine JSON | config.md | | `status` | Is OrbStack running? (exit 0/1/2) | headless.md | | `update` | Update OrbStack (`-c` check only, exit 3 if outdated) | headless.md | | `top` | Live activity monitor (CPU/mem/disk/net) | troubleshooting.md | | `doctor` | Verify Docker integration (`--fix` to repair) | troubleshooting.md | | `report` / `reset` | Diagnostic bug report / factory reset (destroys data) | troubleshooting.md | | `login` / `logout` | Manage OrbStack account + Pro license | config.md | | `version` | Show version | - | | `completion` | Generate shell completions (bash/zsh/fish/powershell) | config.md | ## Reference files Read on demand: - **`references/machines.md`** - full machine lifecycle, `run`/exec, file transfer, per-VM CPU/memory/disk limits, isolation, cloud-init, USB/serial, and running macOS commands from Linux (`mac`, `ORBENV`). - **`references/docker.md`** - using `docker` under OrbStack: context, platform/ Rosetta, volume extension commands, migrating from Docker Desktop, debug shell, SSH-agent forwarding, checkpoints, credential store, engine config. - **`references/domains.md`** - `.orb.local` naming, custom domains label, HTTP-port override, wildcards, HTTPS, compose + k8s domains. - **`references/networking.md`** - port-forwarding, reaching the Mac host (`host.docker.internal`), direct container IPs, IP ranges, proxies, IPv6, LAN exposure, VPN, self-signed registry certs. - **`references/ssh.md`** - `ssh orb` patterns, port 32222, key path, IDE setup (VS Code / JetBrains / Fleet), Ansible, authorized_keys. - **`references/kubernetes.md`** - start/stop the cluster, kubectl context, kubeconfig, service domains, exposing services. - **`references/config.md`** - `orb config` subcommands and a full reference of every config key with its meaning. - **`references/headless.md`** - CLI/CI automation: install, service start/stop, status + exit codes, non-interactive provisioning, disabling admin prompts and context switching, JSON output. - **`references/troubleshooting.md`** - `doctor`/`report`/`reset`, restarting the engine, fixing the Docker context, Rosetta arch errors, cloud-init debugging, and the published-port "wedge" / route-loss gotchas.