Applications

Pantavisor transforms your embedded device into a flexible, container-native platform. Applications in Pantavisor are standard containers (LXC) that run on top of the Pantavisor runtime, allowing you to manage your device’s software as a set of independent, modular components.

In this section, you will learn the complete process of managing applicationsā€”from choosing an installation method to configuring settings and monitoring their status.

The Application Lifecycle

Managing applications on a Pantavisor-enabled device typically follows this flow:

  1. Install Applications: Add new containers to your device. You can choose from three main methods:
    • pvr CLI: Best for developers and automation.
    • PVTX (Local Web UI): Best for quick local updates without CLI tools.
    • Pantahub (Cloud): Best for remote management and fleet deployment.
  2. View Applications: Verify that your applications are running correctly and check their status.
  3. Configure Applications: Tailor your apps’ settings, environment variables, and files using Pantavisor’s unique overlay system.
  4. Access Applications: Connect to and interact with your running apps (e.g., via web interfaces or SSH).
  5. Remove Applications: Clean up your device by uninstalling apps you no longer need.

What is a Pantavisor Application?

At its core, a Pantavisor application is an LXC container. Pantavisor takes standard Docker or OCI images and converts them into a format that can run directly on the Linux kernel without the overhead of a full Docker daemon. This makes it ideal for resource-constrained embedded devices.

Ready to get started? Let’s begin by installing your first application.