WebVM 2.0 brings a full Linux environment to your web browser with Xorg & desktop support

Leaning Technologies has unveiled WebVM 2.0, a full Linux environment that operates entirely within a browser, client-side. This latest version introduces support for Xorg and complete desktop environments, expanding the capabilities of the virtual machine. WebVM functions locally within the browser sandbox and is compatible with modern browsers, including mobile, due to its reliance on WebAssembly, HTML5, and the CheerpX x86 virtualization engine.

WebVM consists of four main components: the CheerpX virtualization engine, a virtual storage backend, a networking layer via Tailscale, and an emulated graphical device. Since its initial release in 2022, significant advancements have been made to enhance its scalability and performance, allowing it to support large Linux distributions.

WebVM 2.0 marks a significant step forward with its improved virtualization engine and support for graphical applications, including a minimalistic i3 window manager. Future updates aim to enable more robust environments like Xfce. The release of WebVM 2.0 and the stable CheerpX 1.0 API mark a major milestone in browser-based virtualization technology.