# Apple Container Supported Operating Systems: macOS Host Requirements and Linux Guest Support > Discover Apple Container's OS support. Run Linux containers on macOS 15+ with Apple Silicon for full features. Learn about host requirements and guest support. - Repository: [Apple/container](https://github.com/apple/container) - Tags: api-reference - Published: 2026-06-16 --- **Apple Container runs Linux containers inside a lightweight virtual machine on macOS, requiring macOS 15 or later with full functionality available only on macOS 26 (Apple Silicon).** Apple Container is a Swift-based open-source tool developed by Apple that enables running OCI-compatible Linux containers on macOS. The `apple/container` repository leverages the macOS Virtualization and vmnet frameworks to provide containerized workloads. Understanding the **Apple Container supported operating systems** is essential for developers planning to deploy this technology in their development environments. ## Host Operating System Requirements Apple Container imposes strict host operating system requirements because it depends on specific macOS virtualization APIs. The tool requires macOS 15 or later, with feature availability varying significantly between versions. ### macOS 26 (Apple Silicon) – Full Support **macOS 26 on Apple Silicon** provides complete support for all Apple Container features. According to the [`README.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/README.md), this version takes advantage of the newest virtualization and networking frameworks, making all `container` commands available. The implementation in `Sources/ContainerPlugin/` interacts directly with these modern APIs to provide full network isolation and container-to-container networking capabilities. ### macOS 15 – Limited Support **macOS 15** is supported with significant limitations. As documented in [`docs/technical-overview.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/docs/technical-overview.md), the vmnet framework lacks full network isolation on this version. Consequently, **container-to-container networking** and many `container network` commands are unavailable. While basic container operations work, network-related functionality is restricted. ### macOS Versions Below 15 – Unsupported Apple Container **does not support macOS versions earlier than 15**. The required virtualization and vmnet APIs are unavailable in older macOS releases, preventing the tool from initializing the lightweight virtual machine needed for container execution. ## Guest Operating System Architecture While the host must run macOS, the container runtime itself always executes **Linux** inside the virtual machine. Apple Container supports any OCI-compatible Linux image as the guest operating system. The VM runs the Linux kernel, allowing developers to use standard Linux containers regardless of the host macOS version. ## Verifying Your macOS Version Before installing Apple Container, verify your macOS version meets the minimum requirements. Run the following command in Terminal: ```bash sw_vers -productVersion ``` This command returns your current macOS version (e.g., `26.0` for macOS 26 or `15.0` for macOS 15). Apple Container requires a minimum version of 15.0, though macOS 26 is recommended for full functionality as specified in [`BUILDING.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/BUILDING.md). ## Working with Linux Containers Once installed on a supported macOS version, you can pull and run Linux containers. The following examples demonstrate basic workflows using the `container` CLI: Pull a Linux image from Docker Hub: ```bash container pull docker.io/library/alpine:latest ``` Run an interactive shell inside the Linux container: ```bash container run --rm -it alpine sh ``` Verify the guest operating system is Linux by checking the container's OS release: ```bash container run --rm alpine cat /etc/os-release ``` On **macOS 15**, network commands are unavailable. Attempting to create a network will result in an error: ```bash # This command fails on macOS 15 due to vmnet limitations container network create mynet ``` ## Implementation Details and Source Files The operating system requirements are defined across several key files in the `apple/container` repository: - **[`README.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/README.md)**: Contains the high-level overview and host-OS requirements, specifying macOS 26 support and macOS 15 limitations. - **[`BUILDING.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/BUILDING.md)**: Lists build prerequisites and minimum OS versions, recommending macOS 26 while supporting macOS 15 with limitations. - **[`docs/technical-overview.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/docs/technical-overview.md)**: Details the architectural constraints, specifically explaining the macOS 15 vmnet limitations that affect network isolation. - **`Sources/ContainerPlugin/`**: Houses the core plugin implementation that interacts with macOS virtualization frameworks, directly implementing the OS-specific functionality. The [`Package.swift`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/Package.swift) file defines the Swift package dependencies required to build the tool on supported macOS versions. ## Summary - **Apple Container requires macOS 15 or later** as the host operating system, with macOS 26 (Apple Silicon) providing full feature support. - **macOS 15 is supported with limitations**; the vmnet framework lacks full network isolation, disabling container-to-container networking and many `container network` commands. - **macOS versions below 15 are unsupported** due to missing virtualization APIs. - **The guest operating system is always Linux**, running inside a lightweight virtual machine using any OCI-compatible Linux image. - Source documentation in [`README.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/README.md), [`BUILDING.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/BUILDING.md), and [`docs/technical-overview.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/docs/technical-overview.md) provides the authoritative requirements. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What operating systems does Apple Container support as the host? Apple Container supports **macOS 15 and later** as the host operating system. However, macOS 26 (Apple Silicon) is required for full functionality, while macOS 15 operates with networking limitations. The tool does not support Linux, Windows, or macOS versions earlier than 15 as host systems. ### Can I run Apple Container on Intel-based Macs? The source code and documentation in `apple/container` indicate support focuses on **Apple Silicon** (ARM64) architecture for macOS 26. The virtualization frameworks utilized in `Sources/ContainerPlugin/` are optimized for Apple Silicon chips. Intel-based Macs may not support the required virtualization features for full functionality. ### Why don't network commands work on macOS 15? On macOS 15, the **vmnet framework lacks full network isolation** capabilities required for advanced networking features. According to [`docs/technical-overview.md`](https://github.com/apple/container/blob/main/docs/technical-overview.md), this limitation prevents container-to-container networking and disables many `container network` commands. These features require the enhanced virtualization APIs available only in macOS 26. ### What Linux distributions work as guest operating systems? Apple Container supports **any OCI-compatible Linux image** as the guest operating system. This includes popular distributions like Alpine Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS. The container runtime runs Linux inside the virtual machine regardless of which specific distribution you choose, as long as it follows the Open Container Initiative specifications.