Lima launches Linux virtual machines with automatic file sharing, port forwarding, and support for both QEMU and WSL2 backends (similar to WSL2).
Publisher’s description
What is Lima?
Lima by Lima-VM is open-source Windows software in the containers & devops category. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.2.0, released on July 21, 2026. The version history goes back to April 3, 2026: 2 releases, all linked to the official files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (lima-vm/lima) has 22,143 stars. Similar programs include Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment, Docker Desktop and Helm.
Project description on GitHub: “Linux virtual machines, with a focus on running containers”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Large user base
In short: Lima is an open-source containers & devop tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs.
Is Lima safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
E7BF7DD2D2E7AB7CE020631F8F7533665F6E6F9068686D3FFCD0F3C438856EA9· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the lima-vm/lima repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 24, 2026.
- Code review10
- Actively maintained10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Dependency update tool10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Restricted token permissions10
- Fuzzing10
- Licence declared10
- Security policy10
- Tests in CI10
- Contributors from several organisations10
- Pinned dependencies9
- Signed releases8
- Static code analysis7
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge5
- No known vulnerabilities0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2.0Latest | July 21, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2.1.1 | April 3, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Lima.Lima -escoop install main/limaRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install limaInformation
- Publisher
- Lima-VM
- Category
- Containers & DevOps
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/lima-vm/lima
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 2.2.0
- Released
- July 21, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- April 27, 2026
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 22,143
- GitHub forks
- 986
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Lima.Lima
- Scoop package
- main/lima
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Lima
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Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment1.39.0minikube quickly sets up a local Kubernetes cluster on macOS, Linux, and Windows. We proudly focus on helping application developers and new Kubernetes users.Open source747.8K ↓ -
Docker Desktop4.96.3An application for macOS and Windows machines for the building and sharing of containerised applications.Proprietary2.2M ↓ -
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Serverless Framework3.39.0Build applications on AWS Lambda and other next-gen cloud services, that auto-scale and only charge you when they run.Open source84.9K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is Lima free?
Yes. Lima is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is Lima safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Lima with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Lima run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Lima?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to April 3, 2026.
Can I use Lima without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Lima?
Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment, Docker Desktop, Helm, Pulumi and k9s. The alternatives page compares them.
