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Cameron Candau

Distrobox

Create an Ubuntu 24.04 distrobox
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distrobox create --name ubuntu24 --image docker.io/library/ubuntu:24.04

List existing distroboxes
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distrobox list

Enter a distrobox shell
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distrobox enter <box-name>

Enter a distrobox with container-manager root privileges
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distrobox enter --root <box-name>

Run a one-off command inside a distrobox
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distrobox enter <box-name> -- <command> <arg1> <arg2>

Run a command as root inside the distrobox container
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# Useful when package installs or root access are awkward through distrobox enter.
podman exec -u 0 <box-name> <command> <arg1> <arg2>

Install packages inside a distrobox
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podman exec -u 0 <box-name> apt-get update
podman exec -u 0 <box-name> apt-get install -y <package1> <package2>

Create a distrobox with an extra host directory mounted
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distrobox create --name <box-name> --image <image> \
  --volume /absolute/host/path:/absolute/container/path

Create a distrobox with direct access to a host device
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distrobox create --name <box-name> --image <image> \
  --additional-flags "--device /dev/<device>"

Check whether desktop audio sockets are visible inside a distrobox
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podman exec <box-name> sh -lc 'echo PULSE_SERVER=$PULSE_SERVER; ls /run/user/1000/pulse/native 2>/dev/null || true; ls /run/user/1000/pipewire-0 2>/dev/null || true; ls -ld /dev/snd 2>/dev/null || true'

Export a desktop app from a distrobox to the host
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distrobox enter <box-name> -- distrobox-export --app <desktop-id>

Export a command from a distrobox to the host
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distrobox enter <box-name> -- distrobox-export --bin /usr/bin/<command>

Launch a host file from inside a distrobox without inheriting GTK3 module overrides
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env -u GTK3_MODULES distrobox enter <box-name> -- /absolute/path/to/program