Create fully functional virtual Kubernetes clusters - Each vcluster runs inside a namespace of the underlying k8s cluster. It's cheaper than creating separate full-blown clusters and it offers better multi-tenancy and isolation than regular namespaces.
Publisher’s description
What is vcluster?
vcluster is an open-source containers & devop program for Windows from loft-sh. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.37.4, released on October 20, 2026. 33 versions are listed since December 7, 2023, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 12 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (loft-sh/vcluster) has 11,352 stars. Similar programs include Helm, Pulumi and Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment.
Project description on GitHub: “vCluster creates tenant clusters: fully isolated environments delivered as managed Kubernetes, or as the foundation for Slurm, Ray, Run:ai and inference clusters. Each gets its own API server, CRDs and RBAC, and runs on an existing cluster or standalone on bare metal. CNCF Certified Kubernetes.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 12 a year)
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: vcluster is an open-source containers & devop tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is vcluster 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:
60D966DB254FA833107512FA9CCA6F6B85B1E0EBAA24BF16309C9766F9131A5A· 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 loft-sh/vcluster repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Security policy10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Licence declared10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Published packages10
- Signed releases8
- Branch protection5
- Pinned dependencies4
- Code review0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 33 versions ›33 versions over 3 years · about 12 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.37.4Latest | October 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.37.3 | October 5, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.37.2 | September 23, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.37.1 | September 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.36.1 | July 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.36.0 | July 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.35.1 | June 19, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.35.0 | June 16, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id loft-sh.vcluster -eProgram files (.exe): vcluster.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- loft-sh
- Category
- Containers & DevOps
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/loft-sh/vcluster
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.37.4
- Released
- October 20, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 8, 2023
- Versions listed
- 33
- Updates / year
- 11.5
- GitHub stars
- 11,352
- GitHub forks
- 622
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- loft-sh.vcluster
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is vcluster free?
Yes. vcluster is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is vcluster 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 vcluster 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 vcluster run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of vcluster?
The versions page lists all 33 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 7, 2023.
Can I use vcluster without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to vcluster?
Helm, Pulumi, Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment, Docker Desktop and k9s. The alternatives page compares them.
