LXC

LXC is the foundational Linux container technology that pioneered system-level virtualization, trusted by companies like Canonical (Ubuntu’s creator) and numerous hosting providers worldwide. Unlike application containers like Docker, LXC provides complete Linux environments that run multiple processes, making it perfect for system administration and infrastructure management.

Developed as part of the Linux kernel’s container capabilities, LXC enables administrators to run multiple isolated Linux distributions on a single physical server with near-native performance. Major cloud providers and hosting companies use LXC to provide virtual private servers and development environments that combine the benefits of virtualization with the efficiency of containers.

System administrators choose LXC when they need full operating system functionality in a lightweight package. The technology is particularly valuable for organizations running legacy applications, creating development environments, or providing multi-tenant hosting services where complete OS isolation is required without the overhead of traditional virtual machines.

Key Features

• Complete System Containers - Full Linux environments with complete OS functionality, multiple processes, and systemd support • Near-Native Performance - Minimal virtualization overhead with direct hardware access and optimized resource sharing • Advanced Resource Management - Granular control over CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network resources through cgroup integration • Network Isolation - Separate network namespaces with custom networking configurations and bridge setups • Flexible Storage Options - Support for multiple storage backends, ZFS integration, and container snapshot capabilities • Live Migration - Move running containers between hosts with minimal downtime for maintenance and scaling • Enhanced Security - AppArmor and SELinux profile integration plus user namespace isolation for additional security layers • Comprehensive Management - Rich CLI tools and REST API for automated container lifecycle management and orchestration

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Full operating system functionality with multiple process support unlike application containers • Excellent performance with minimal overhead compared to traditional virtual machines • Strong security isolation with multiple kernel-level security mechanisms • Mature technology with proven stability in production environments • Great for legacy application migration and system administration tasks

Cons

• Steeper learning curve compared to Docker and other application container platforms • Limited orchestration tools compared to Kubernetes ecosystem • Requires deeper Linux system administration knowledge • Less portable across different host operating systems • Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Docker and modern container platforms

Get Started with LXC

Deploy complete Linux environments with the container technology that started the container revolution. Visit linuxcontainers.org to start building system containers with full OS functionality and enterprise-grade isolation.