Multipass: A Quick Way to Get Ubuntu VMs Without the Usual Fuss
Let’s be honest — sometimes all you need is a clean Linux machine. No Dockerfile, no dual boot, no massive VM setup. Just a fresh Ubuntu box you can poke around in, test something, break it, and move on. That’s pretty much what Multipass is made for.
It’s a tiny tool from Canonical that spins up real Ubuntu VMs on your machine with one command. And not just once — you can create five, ten, destroy them, rebuild them, mount folders, run scripts… without ever opening VirtualBox or writing YAML.
It’s simple, scriptable, and fast enough that you start using it without thinking.
What It Actually Does (In Plain Terms)
| What It Can Do | How That Helps |
| multipass launch | One command, and you’ve got a brand-new Ubuntu VM |
| Mount local folders | Test builds or copy configs straight into the instance |
| Run commands remotely | Use exec to run stuff from your terminal — no SSH required |
| cloud-init support | Great for auto-configuring VMs as they start |
| Snapshots & restore | Try risky stuff, then jump back like nothing happened |
| Uses native hypervisor | No bloat — just Hyper-V, KVM, or HyperKit under the hood |
When It Comes in Handy
– You’re testing a bash script but don’t want to ruin your main system
– You need to verify something on a clean Ubuntu image — not your cluttered dev machine
– You build stuff in CI and want the same VM environment locally
– Or maybe you just want to try out `apt remove systemd` and see what happens
It’s not for production, not for heavy workloads — it’s for when you want clean Linux and want it *now*.
What You’ll Need
– Windows, macOS, or Linux — Multipass runs everywhere
– Hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS
– A bit of RAM and disk space — the base image is small (~200MB)
– That’s it — the installer takes care of the rest
You don’t need to hunt down ISOs or build images manually. It pulls minimal Ubuntu cloud images straight from Canonical’s servers.
How to Start Using It
1. Install it from https://multipass.run/
2. Open a terminal
3. Type:
multipass launch –name trialbox
4. Wait a few seconds
5. Then:
multipass shell trialbox
Boom. You’re inside a fresh Ubuntu VM. Try something. Break something. Exit. Delete. Repeat.
What People Say
“It’s become my go-to for trying stuff out. I don’t even bother with Docker anymore.”
“We script all our test environments using Multipass. No more clunky VM snapshots.”
“Honestly, it’s the fastest way to get a clean shell without messing up my host system.”
Before You Go All-In
Multipass wasn’t built to run your next cloud app or replace your hypervisor setup. It’s a local tool. A good one. For quick tests, local automation, and clean Ubuntu boxes that disappear when you’re done.
It feels like what docker run ubuntu should’ve been — except it’s a real VM.
