macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install socket_vmnetlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install socket_vmnetMacPorts ports tree · net/socket_vmnet/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 2343
Install socket_vmnet with Homebrew, Nix, MacPorts
Daemon to provide vmnet.framework support for rootless QEMU. Version 1.2.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-06. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#socket-vmnet.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#socket-vmnetnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/so/socket-vmnet/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Daemon to provide vmnet.framework support for rootless QEMU
Project links
Commands and aliases
- socket_vmnet
- socket_vmnet_client
history
Project history and usage
socket_vmnet is a macOS networking daemon and client for giving unmodified, rootless QEMU access to Apple's vmnet.framework. It is closely associated with Lima and the Mac virtualization tooling ecosystem.
Project history
The official README says socket_vmnet was forked from vde_vmnet v0.6.0 and removes the dependency on VDE. The git history begins in July 2021, and the first tagged alpha release appeared in May 2022 before the 1.0.0 tag in November 2022.
The README positions the project around a precise operational tradeoff: socket_vmnet itself usually runs as root, but QEMU does not need to. This kept vmnet.framework networking usable for rootless QEMU workflows before and after QEMU added its own vmnet support.
Adoption history
Official installation docs cover binary tarballs, source installs under /opt/socket_vmnet, Homebrew, and MacPorts. The supplied package-manager facts list Homebrew and MacPorts, reflecting a macOS-only tool aimed at virtualization users rather than a cross-platform daemon.
How it is used
The documented workflow starts the socket_vmnet daemon with a gateway and socket path, then runs QEMU through socket_vmnet_client. The README also documents Lima integration, noting that Lima has built-in support for socket_vmnet since v0.12.0.
Why package nerds care
Package nerds care about socket_vmnet because it is a small package with unusually sharp install semantics: root-owned prefixes, launchd service files, Homebrew service behavior, MacPorts service behavior, QEMU integration, and Lima integration all affect whether rootless virtual machines get usable bridged or shared networking.
Timeline
- 2021: Initial git commit.
- 2022: v1.0.0-alpha.0 first tagged alpha release.
- 2022: v1.0.0 tagged.
- 2022: Lima v0.12.0 and later documented built-in support for socket_vmnet.
- 2024: v1.2.0 tagged after the 1.1 series.
- 2025: v1.2.2 tagged.
Related projects
- socket_vmnet is forked from vde_vmnet, is designed for QEMU, and is documented as integrated with Lima. The README also contrasts it with QEMU's built-in vmnet support, which requires running the whole QEMU process as root.
Sources
- Official git metadata from https://github.com/lima-vm/socket_vmnet.git
- https://github.com/lima-vm/socket_vmnet#readme
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lima-vm/socket_vmnet/master/README.md
- source_facts.package-manager
security posture
Risk level: orange
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
- formula declares a Homebrew service
Signals
- metadata:service
- text:client
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
socket_vmnet | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
socket_vmnet_client | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version1.2.2
manager updated2026-06-06
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:socket_vmnet |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.2.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/lima-vm/socket_vmnet |
| Repository | https://github.com/lima-vm/socket_vmnet |
| Last updated | 2026-06-06T11:29:14Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Nix95%
socket-vmnet
nix profile install nixpkgs#socket-vmnet- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Socket Vmnet
MacPorts95%
socket_vmnet
sudo port install socket_vmnet- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Socket Vmnet
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation