VM Scripts Documentation (/vm)

This directory contains comprehensive documentation for virtual machine creation scripts in the /vm directory.

Overview

VM scripts (vm/*.sh) create full virtual machines (not containers) in Proxmox VE with complete operating systems and cloud-init provisioning.

Documentation Structure

VM documentation parallels container documentation but focuses on VM-specific features.

Key Resources

misc/cloud-init.func/ - Cloud-init provisioning documentation
CONTRIBUTION_GUIDE.md - Contribution workflow
EXIT_CODES.md - Exit code reference

VM Creation Flow

vm/OsName-vm.sh (host-side)
    │
    ├─ Calls: build.func (orchestrator)
    │
    ├─ Variables: var_cpu, var_ram, var_disk, var_os
    │
    ├─ Uses: cloud-init.func (provisioning)
    │
    └─ Creates: KVM/QEMU VM
                │
                └─ Boots with: Cloud-init config
                               │
                               ├─ System phase
                               ├─ Config phase
                               └─ Final phase

Available VM Scripts

See /vm directory for all VM creation scripts. Examples:

ubuntu2404-vm.sh - Ubuntu 24.04 VM
ubuntu2204-vm.sh - Ubuntu 22.04 VM
debian-vm.sh - Debian VM
debian-13-vm.sh - Debian 13 VM
opnsense-vm.sh - OPNsense firewall
haos-vm.sh - Home Assistant OS
unifi-os-vm.sh - Unifi Dream Machine
k3s-vm.sh - Kubernetes lightweight
And 10+ more...

VM vs Container

Feature	VM	Container
Isolation	Full	Lightweight
Boot Time	Slower	Instant
Resource Use	Higher	Lower
Use Case	Full OS	Single app
Init System	systemd/etc	cloud-init
Storage	Disk image	Filesystem

Quick Start

To understand VM creation:

Read: misc/cloud-init.func/README.md
Study: A similar existing script in /vm
Understand cloud-init configuration
Test locally
Submit PR

Contributing a New VM

Create vm/osname-vm.sh
Use cloud-init for provisioning
Follow VM script template
Test VM creation and boot
Submit PR

Cloud-Init Provisioning

VMs are provisioned using cloud-init:

#cloud-config
hostname: myvm
timezone: UTC

packages:
  - curl
  - wget

users:
  - name: ubuntu
    ssh_authorized_keys:
      - ssh-rsa AAAAB3...

bootcmd:
  - echo "VM starting..."

runcmd:
  - apt-get update
  - apt-get upgrade -y

Common VM Operations

Create VM with cloud-init → misc/cloud-init.func/
Configure networking → Cloud-init YAML documentation
Setup SSH keys → misc/cloud-init.func/CLOUD_INIT_FUNC_USAGE_EXAMPLES.md
Debug VM creation → EXIT_CODES.md

VM Templates

Common VM templates available:

Ubuntu LTS - Latest stable Ubuntu
Debian Stable - Latest stable Debian
OPNsense - Network security platform
Home Assistant - Home automation
Kubernetes - K3s lightweight cluster
Proxmox Backup - Backup server

Last Updated: December 2025 Maintainers: community-scripts team

3.3 KiB Raw Blame History