feat: cache provisioned VM images for faster creates#23
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ethannortharc merged 1 commit intomainfrom Mar 11, 2026
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After first `devbox create`, the fully-provisioned VM is cached as a reusable image. Subsequent creates with the same tool set launch from cache (~10s) instead of re-provisioning from scratch (~5min). Cache key = hash(image_type + sets + languages + mount_mode + nix config). Changing any nix set file automatically invalidates the cache. - Incus: uses native `incus publish`/`incus launch` from cached alias - Lima: copies diffdisk to ~/.devbox/cache/ (APFS clone for zero-cost) - Docker/Multipass: no-op (default trait stubs) - post_cache_setup() applies host-specific config (git, devbox binary) Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Summary
devbox create, the fully-provisioned VM is cached as a reusable imageincus publish/incus launchfrom cached alias~/.devbox/cache/(APFS clone for instant, zero-cost copy)post_cache_setup()re-applies host-specific config (git, devbox binary, state file)Test plan
cargo build— clean, no warningscargo test— all 71 tests pass (4 new cache key tests)devbox createon Incus — provisions normally, then cachesdevbox createwith same tools — launches from cache, skips provisioningdevbox createon Lima — provisions normally, then cachesdevbox createwith same tools on Lima — launches from cache🤖 Generated with Claude Code