Canonical Ubuntu https://multipass.run/

What is Multipass, it is a tool that allows to easily create and use Ubuntu server Virtual Machines at Windows, Linux or MacOS.

Install Multipass for your platform following instructions at https://multipass.run

Create and start new VM machine

multipass launch --name ubuntu-1

multipass shell ubuntu-1

Inside ubuntu-1 VM install applications and create mounting point directory

mkdir -p ~/ubuntu-1-home

sudo apt update  && sudo apt install xorg mc geany firefox tmux git

On host system create mounting point that will be shared with guest VM

mkdir -p private/multipass/ubuntu-1-home
multipass mount private/multipass/ubuntu-1-home ubuntu-1:ubuntu-1-home

SSH Connection with X11 forwarding

PREREQUISITEs:

  • Install your public ssh key to the VM ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
  • Install macPorts
  • Install xhost : sudo port install xhost
  • Install Quartz from https://www.xquartz.org/ and logout /login again
# on host run to get the list of installed VMs
multipass list 

# allow X11 forwarding to your host 
xhost + 

# and then connect with X11 forwarding to selected VM by its IP address:

ssh -X ubuntu@192.168.64.2

# see https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/412065/ssh-connection-x11-connection-rejected-because-of-wrong-authentication/709789#709789
# set XAUTHORITY
export XAUTHORITY=$HOME/.Xauthority 

# and no you can run gui apps and forward them to your display , for example: 

firefox 

# example firefox with jekyll server
firefox http://localhost:4000