Hysen LabsDocker-OSX
Run macOS VM in a Docker! Run near native OSX-KVM in Docker! X11 Forwarding! CI/CD for OS X Security Research! Docker mac Containers.
Docker OSX: running macOS inside a Docker container
A project that runs macOS in a Docker container at near native speed, with X11 forwarding and iPhone USB passthrough, built on top of OSX-KVM.
What running macOS in Docker means
The pitch is short: run Mac OS X in Docker with near native performance. The README also advertises X11 forwarding, iMessage security research through a serial number generator, and working iPhone USB. The stack underneath is QEMU and KVM, with SSH exposed on localhost:50922 and VNC on localhost:8888 in the vnc builds. Version targets run from High Sierra up through Sonoma, plus an auto image and a naked option that uses your own image.
Credit where it is due
The project is honest about what it builds on. It thanks the maintainer of OSX-KVM, the upstream project underneath, plus the maintainer of the KVM-OpenCore fork. Extra thanks go to the OpenCore team for a bootloader that provides much of the functionality users rely on. A credits file and a contributors graph hold the full list.
Getting started
The quick start splits by experience. First time users are told to try initial setup, while everyone else can follow the Catalina or Big Sur instructions. A Mojave download path exists for when Docker's CDN or the connection is slow, and it includes steps to enable SSH in network sharing and set username and password environment variables.
iPhone USB and passthrough options
Two iPhone USB paths are documented. One is a VFIO based approach aimed at desktop PCs, following instructions from a separate guide. The other is a network style passthrough using usbfluxd, which exposes the device on a port so another system on the same network can reach it. A video tutorial for the usbfluxd path is linked as well.
Where to get help
The project runs a Discord server and a Telegram channel, and the README welcomes questions and ideas in both. There is also a Docker Hub page for pre built images, and a professional support option that offers custom images, scripts, and consulting by the hour.
Editorial conclusion
Docker OSX serves a specific audience: people who need macOS in an automated or containerized setting, often for security research. The README covers setup paths, hardware reality, and upstream credit in equal measure, so judging the fit is easy.
Community notes