Merge pull request #5489 from resker/fix/autostart-lima-home

fix(autostart): propagate LIMA_HOME into generated launchd/systemd units

cmd/limactl/autostart_darwin.go

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/autostart"
 	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/autostart/launchd"
+	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/limatype/dirnames"
 	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/store"
 	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/textutil"
 )
@@ -95,22 +96,36 @@ func autostartDisableAction(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func daemonInstall(ctx context.Context, instName, workDir, userName string, keepAlive bool) error {
-	selfExe, err := os.Executable()
+// renderDaemonPlist renders the system LaunchDaemon plist for an instance. Every key the
+// template references must be supplied here: a missing one renders as the literal string
+// "<no value>" rather than failing, which would be written into the installed plist.
+func renderDaemonPlist(binary, instName, workDir, userName string, keepAlive bool) ([]byte, error) {
+	// The daemon inherits no environment from the shell that registers it, so LIMA_HOME
+	// has to be recorded in the plist for the instance to be found at boot.
+	limaHome, err := dirnames.LimaDir()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not determine limactl path: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
-
 	vars := map[string]string{
-		"Binary":   selfExe,
+		"Binary":   binary,
 		"Instance": instName,
+		"LimaHome": limaHome,
 		"WorkDir":  workDir,
 		"UserName": userName,
 	}
 	if keepAlive {
 		vars["KeepAlive"] = "true"
 	}
-	content, err := textutil.ExecuteTemplate(launchd.DaemonTemplate, vars)
+	return textutil.ExecuteTemplate(launchd.DaemonTemplate, vars)
+}
+
+func daemonInstall(ctx context.Context, instName, workDir, userName string, keepAlive bool) error {
+	selfExe, err := os.Executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not determine limactl path: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	content, err := renderDaemonPlist(selfExe, instName, workDir, userName, keepAlive)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to render daemon plist: %w", err)
 	}

cmd/limactl/autostart_darwin_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lima Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
+)
+
+// The daemon plist is rendered from a map, and text/template turns a key the template
+// references but the map omits into the literal string "<no value>" instead of failing.
+// That would be written into /Library/LaunchDaemons verbatim, so assert that the rendered
+// plist carries the real LIMA_HOME and no placeholder.
+func TestRenderDaemonPlist(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("LIMA_HOME", "/some/lima/home")
+	for _, keepAlive := range []bool{false, true} {
+		got, err := renderDaemonPlist("/limactl", "colima", "/some/path", "containerserver", keepAlive)
+		assert.NilError(t, err)
+		plist := string(got)
+		assert.Assert(t, !strings.Contains(plist, "<no value>"),
+			"plist has an unresolved template key:\n%s", plist)
+		assert.Assert(t, strings.Contains(plist, "<key>LIMA_HOME</key>\n\t\t<string>/some/lima/home</string>"),
+			"plist does not carry LIMA_HOME:\n%s", plist)
+		assert.Assert(t, strings.Contains(plist, "<string>containerserver</string>"))
+		assert.Equal(t, strings.Contains(plist, "<key>KeepAlive</key>"), keepAlive)
+	}
+}

pkg/autostart/autostart_test.go

@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ func TestRenderTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 <dict>
 	<key>Label</key>
 	<string>io.lima-vm.autostart.default</string>
+	<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
+	<dict>
+		<key>LIMA_HOME</key>
+		<string>/some/lima/home</string>
+	</dict>
 	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
 	<array>
 		<string>/limactl</string>
@@ -120,6 +125,11 @@ func TestRenderTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	<string>io.lima-vm.daemon.k3s</string>
 	<key>UserName</key>
 	<string>alice</string>
+	<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
+	<dict>
+		<key>LIMA_HOME</key>
+		<string>/some/lima/home</string>
+	</dict>
 	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
 	<array>
 		<string>/limactl</string>
@@ -155,6 +165,11 @@ func TestRenderTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 <dict>
 	<key>Label</key>
 	<string>io.lima-vm.autostart.default</string>
+	<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
+	<dict>
+		<key>LIMA_HOME</key>
+		<string>/some/lima/home</string>
+	</dict>
 	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
 	<array>
 		<string>/limactl</string>
@@ -197,6 +212,11 @@ func TestRenderTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	<string>io.lima-vm.daemon.k3s</string>
 	<key>UserName</key>
 	<string>alice</string>
+	<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
+	<dict>
+		<key>LIMA_HOME</key>
+		<string>/some/lima/home</string>
+	</dict>
 	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
 	<array>
 		<string>/limactl</string>
@@ -236,6 +256,7 @@ Description=Lima - Linux virtual machines, with a focus on running containers.
 Documentation=man:lima(1)
 
 [Service]
+Environment=LIMA_HOME=/some/lima/home
 ExecStart=/limactl start %i --foreground
 WorkingDirectory=%h
 Type=simple
@@ -259,6 +280,7 @@ Description=Lima - Linux virtual machines, with a focus on running containers.
 Documentation=man:lima(1)
 
 [Service]
+Environment=LIMA_HOME=/some/lima/home
 ExecStart=/limactl start %i --foreground
 WorkingDirectory=%h
 Type=simple
@@ -276,6 +298,9 @@ WantedBy=default.target
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.Name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// Pin LIMA_HOME so the rendered unit does not depend on the host running the test.
+			// The directory does not exist, so LimaDir() returns it without resolving symlinks.
+			t.Setenv("LIMA_HOME", "/some/lima/home")
 			tmpl, err := tt.Manager.renderTemplate(tt.InstanceName, tt.WorkDir, tt.GetExecutable)
 			assert.NilError(t, err)
 			assert.Equal(t, string(tmpl), tt.Expected)

pkg/autostart/launchd/io.lima-vm.autostart.INSTANCE.plist

@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 <dict>
 	<key>Label</key>
 	<string>io.lima-vm.autostart.{{ .Instance }}</string>
+	<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
+	<dict>
+		<key>LIMA_HOME</key>
+		<string>{{ .LimaHome }}</string>
+	</dict>
 	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
 	<array>
 		<string>{{ .Binary }}</string>

pkg/autostart/launchd/io.lima-vm.daemon.INSTANCE.plist

@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@
 	<string>io.lima-vm.daemon.{{ .Instance }}</string>
 	<key>UserName</key>
 	<string>{{ .UserName }}</string>
+	<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
+	<dict>
+		<key>LIMA_HOME</key>
+		<string>{{ .LimaHome }}</string>
+	</dict>
 	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
 	<array>
 		<string>{{ .Binary }}</string>

pkg/autostart/managers.go

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 
 	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/limatype"
+	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/limatype/dirnames"
 	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/textutil"
 )
 
@@ -120,9 +121,18 @@ func (t *TemplateFileBasedManager) renderTemplate(instName, workDir string, getE
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	// The generated unit must carry LIMA_HOME explicitly: neither launchd nor systemd
+	// inherits the environment of the shell that registered the instance, so without it
+	// the autostarted `limactl start` would look for the instance under the default
+	// ~/.lima and not find one that lives anywhere else.
+	limaHome, err := dirnames.LimaDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	data := map[string]string{
 		"Binary":   selfExeAbs,
 		"Instance": instName,
+		"LimaHome": limaHome,
 		"WorkDir":  workDir,
 	}
 	maps.Copy(data, t.extraTemplateVars)

pkg/autostart/systemd/lima-vm@INSTANCE.service

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Description=Lima - Linux virtual machines, with a focus on running containers.
 Documentation=man:lima(1)
 
 [Service]
+Environment=LIMA_HOME={{.LimaHome}}
 ExecStart={{.Binary}} start %i --foreground
 WorkingDirectory=%h
 Type=simple