CLI plugins

Lima supports a plugin-like command aliasing system similar to git, kubectl, and docker. When you run a limactl command that doesn’t exist, Lima will automatically look for an external program named limactl-<command> in your system’s PATH.

Creating Custom Aliases

To create a custom alias, create an executable script with the name limactl-<alias> and place it somewhere in your PATH.

Example: Creating a ps alias for listing instances

1. Create a script called limactl-ps:

   #!/bin/sh
   # Show instances in a compact format
   limactl list --format table "$@"
   

2. Make it executable and place it in your PATH:

   chmod +x limactl-ps
   sudo mv limactl-ps /usr/local/bin/
   

3. Now you can use it:

   limactl ps                    # Shows instances in table format
   limactl ps --quiet            # Shows only instance names
   

Example: Creating an sh alias

#!/bin/sh
# limactl-sh - Connect to an instance shell
limactl shell "$@"

After creating this alias:

limactl sh default           # Equivalent to: limactl shell default
limactl sh myinstance bash   # Equivalent to: limactl shell myinstance bash

How It Works

1. When you run limactl <unknown-command>, Lima first tries to find a built-in command
2. If no built-in command is found, Lima searches for limactl-<unknown-command> in your PATH
3. If found, Lima executes the external program and passes all remaining arguments to it
4. If not found, Lima shows the standard “unknown command” error

This system allows you to:

• Create personal shortcuts and aliases
• Extend Lima’s functionality without modifying the core application
• Share custom commands with your team by distributing scripts