How do I install the Apple Container skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add builtbyv/apple-container in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Apple Container safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Apple Container?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Apple Container free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Apple Container?

builtbyV (@builtbyv) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Apple Container by builtbyv — Agent Skill

Name: Apple Container
Author: builtbyV

Apple Container

Run isolated Linux containers on macOS Apple Silicon via Apple's native `container` CLI. Use when the agent needs a sandboxed shell, an untrusted script runner, or a non-host runtime (Python, Node, etc.) without Docker.

builtbyV 69dda49 2.9 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Apple Container (Minimal)

Apple's container CLI runs each Linux container in a lightweight VM using the Containerization framework. No daemon, no Docker Desktop. Apple Silicon + macOS 15+ required (macOS 26+ for full networking).

This skill covers only what run_in_container depends on. For the full CLI reference, see Apple's docs or the upstream apple-container-skill repo.

Install

brew install --cask container

Verify:

container --version
container system start         # one-time setup; may prompt for Linux kernel install
container system status

The one command you actually need

container run --rm [--network none] [-v <host>:<container>[:ro]] [-w <workdir>] <image> sh -lc "<command>"

Flags used by run_in_container:

Flag	Meaning
`--rm`	Delete the container after exit (always on in the tool)
`--network none`	No network egress from the container (default; safest)
`--network bridge`	Enable egress (opt-in)
`-v host:container[:ro]`	Bind-mount (host side confined to `--cwd` via `safePath`)
`-w /path`	Set working directory inside the container

Example the agent can run directly:

container run --rm --network none -v $(pwd)/data:/data:ro python:3.12-slim \
  sh -lc "python /data/script.py"

Picking an image

Use case	Image
Generic shell	`alpine:3.20` (tiny, ~5 MB)
Python	`python:3.12-slim`
Node	`node:22-alpine`
No-network linting / parsing	any of the above with `--network none`

Pull once to warm the cache:

container image pull python:3.12-slim

Troubleshooting

container: command not found — install with brew install --cask container.
services not running — container system start.
--network errors on macOS 15 — user-defined networks require macOS 26+; stick with --network none or omit the flag.
Anonymous volumes (-v /path, no host side) are NOT cleaned by --rm in container. run_in_container avoids this by always pairing host and container paths.
Container can't reach the internet — you passed --network none (default). Pass network: "bridge" in the tool args.

Gotchas

container is NOT a Docker replacement. It supports the Docker-ish subset of flags run_in_container uses; avoid Docker-specific features (--link, --device, etc.).
Default container has 1 GiB RAM and 4 CPUs. Override with --memory / --cpus if needed (the tool does not surface these; edit the agent if you need it).
All mounts go through the host → lightweight VM → container, which adds a sync step on first access. Small files are fine; gigabyte dirs are not.

---name: apple-containerdescription: Run isolated Linux containers on macOS Apple Silicon via Apple's native `container` CLI. Use when the agent needs a sandboxed shell, an untrusted script runner, or a non-host runtime (Python, Node, etc.) without Docker.---# Apple Container (Minimal)Apple's `container` CLI runs each Linux container in a lightweight VM using theContainerization framework. No daemon, no Docker Desktop. Apple Silicon + macOS15+ required (macOS 26+ for full networking).This skill covers only what `run_in_container` depends on. For the full CLIreference, see Apple's docs or the upstream apple-container-skill repo.## Install```bashbrew install --cask container```Verify:```bashcontainer --versioncontainer system start # one-time setup; may prompt for Linux kernel installcontainer system status```## The one command you actually need```bashcontainer run --rm [--network none] [-v <host>:<container>[:ro]] [-w <workdir>] <image> sh -lc "<command>"```Flags used by `run_in_container`:| Flag | Meaning ||---|---|| `--rm` | Delete the container after exit (always on in the tool) || `--network none` | No network egress from the container (default; safest) || `--network bridge` | Enable egress (opt-in) || `-v host:container[:ro]` | Bind-mount (host side confined to `--cwd` via `safePath`) || `-w /path` | Set working directory inside the container |Example the agent can run directly:```bashcontainer run --rm --network none -v $(pwd)/data:/data:ro python:3.12-slim \ sh -lc "python /data/script.py"```## Picking an image| Use case | Image ||---|---|| Generic shell | `alpine:3.20` (tiny, ~5 MB) || Python | `python:3.12-slim` || Node | `node:22-alpine` || No-network linting / parsing | any of the above with `--network none` |Pull once to warm the cache:```bashcontainer image pull python:3.12-slim```## Troubleshooting- `container: command not found` — install with `brew install --cask container`.- `services not running` — `container system start`.- `--network` errors on macOS 15 — user-defined networks require macOS 26+; stick with `--network none` or omit the flag.- Anonymous volumes (`-v /path`, no host side) are NOT cleaned by `--rm` in `container`. `run_in_container` avoids this by always pairing host and container paths.- Container can't reach the internet — you passed `--network none` (default). Pass `network: "bridge"` in the tool args.## Gotchas- `container` is NOT a Docker replacement. It supports the Docker-ish subset of flags `run_in_container` uses; avoid Docker-specific features (`--link`, `--device`, etc.).- Default container has 1 GiB RAM and 4 CPUs. Override with `--memory` / `--cpus` if needed (the tool does not surface these; edit the agent if you need it).- All mounts go through the host → lightweight VM → container, which adds a sync step on first access. Small files are fine; gigabyte dirs are not.

Frequently asked questions