Vagrant
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`Vagrant `_ is a multi-provider tool for building and managing virtual machines by HashiCorp. For more information, you can check out the `Vagrant documentation `_.
Boxes
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Vagrant boxes are ``tar`` files containing an image or container specific to the provider, Vagrant metadata, and a base `Vagrantfile `_. They are essentially `OVA `_ files with extra metadata and preinstalled packages.
What are they for
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Vagrant boxes `provided `_ by Canonical are meant for local development use. They are not meant to be used in a production environment.
When are they published
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Boxes are published daily.
Despite their publication date, all boxes published to Vagrant Cloud point to the latest published version hosted on cloud-images.ubuntu.com.
How are they built
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The VirtualBox Vagrant box is produced as part of a "Base" build with the code living in `livecd-roofs `_. The build generates a ``box.ovf`` config file, a config drive ``vmdk``, the base server ``vmdk``, Vagrantfile, and Vagrant metadata. These build components are then combined in the ``.box`` tarball.
See :ref:`public-images-how-to` for more on building and running Vagrant boxes.
Support
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Vagrant has been dropped by Ubuntu due to the adoption of the `Business Source License (BSL) `_. Following this change, **Canonical will no longer publish Vagrant images** directly starting with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat).
Support Matrix
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- Support is provided for images utilising ``vagrant`` and ``virtualbox`` packages from the archive.
- Best support will be given for matching guest and host Ubuntu.
- Best efforts will be made when the guest and host differ.
- There is no support for extra plugins.
- There is no support for images starting with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and beyond.
- Support for matching `Guest Additions `_.