What is Anka?

Veertu’s Anka is a suite of software tools built on the macOS virtualization platform. It enables the execution of single or multi-use macOS virtual machines (VMs) in a manner similar to Docker. Anka is specifically designed for DevOps and CI/CD teams that need to build and test macOS or iOS applications. Leveraging the official Apple hypervisor/virtualization technology, Anka offers enhanced performance and security.

Anka is also a user-friendly solution for large-scale macOS virtualization. It allows you to generate Anka macOS VMs using a simple CLI, infrastructure as code tools, manage VM tags with specific dependencies and states via the Anka Registry (part of the Anka Build Cloud), and execute Anka macOS VMs on any connected nodes.

Along side of the Anka CLI is the Anka Build Cloud which serves as a unified management interface for Anka Build Nodes, VM instances, VM Templates/Tags, and logs. It features intelligent queueing and load balancing for handling numerous concurrent CI/CD job macOS VM requests. Additionally, it integrates with widely-used CI/CD servers and tools such as Jenkins, Github Actions, Buildkite, TeamCity, GitLab, and provides an API for custom integrations.

Anka is a robust and adaptable macOS virtualization platform that can enhance your DevOps and iOS CI/CD processes. It is straightforward to use and customize, and offers a broad array of features and capabilities.

• Easy to install.
• Built on the native Apple hypervisor, utilizing macOS resource scheduling, power management, and flexibility.
• Optimized VM network and disk performance using para-virtual drivers.
• Access to Paravirtualized Graphics (GPU) inside of VMs.
• VM management through the Anka Virtualization CLI, UI app, or web based Build Cloud Controller UI.
• Ability to suspended and then instantly start VMs from a specific state.
• Attach physical USB devices (like an iPhone) to VMs for on-device testing.
• Compatibility with T2 enabled Apple hardware.
• Can be installed on any Apple supported macOS versions.
• Install and run any modern and Apple supported macOS version inside of VMs.

DevOps teams implementing Anka can expect flexibility, allowing them to plug into existing infrastructure and automation – whether it’s cloud providers like AWS or on-premises! We have many examples of use cases and also provide packages like our Build Cloud Controller & Registry Helm Chart for Kubernetes users.

You can find several CI/CD plugins or integrations we maintain for our users that abstract the lower level work of pulling and starting VMs for jobs. Whether it’s on-demand/ephemeral, long-running, and single-use macOS VMs for your developers, iOS, or native app building/testing/CI/CD, Anka will be a good fit for you.

Anka also enables a docker-like experience for teams to create and store project specific VM templates (a.k.a “images”) and tags, including commands to interact with the VM like start, stop, clone, suspend, modify the VM configuration (like cpu or ram), and execution of VM level shell commands.

• Easily create Anka VM Templates for different versions of macOS, Xcode, etc.
• Store your VM Templates with a specific Tag in the Anka Build Cloud Registry so you can distribute or pull them to different machines and ensure the same VM state for every single CI/CD job that runs a VM. You can clone all VMs from a single base VM and they will re-use layers, optimizing disk space on both the Registry and Anka Nodes/hosts.

Using Anka

Anka Virtualization CLI

There are many ways in which our customers utilize the Anka Virtualization CLI to automate the VM creation and preparation process:

• Through the anka create command on the host machine:

  ❯ anka create 13.1 13.1-arm
  

• By executing your project installation commands and scripts inside of VMs from the host terminal with anka run and also directly inside the VM with anka cp & anka run.
• Any manual steps you need to perform in the GUI can be done through VNC or automated with Anka Click Scripts.
• Create Packer Templates and run them to perform the steps for VM creation and preparation with our packer builders and post-provisioner..

Anka Build Cloud

Accompanying the Anka Virtualization package which runs on macOS hardware, we provide the Build Cloud Controller & Registry. Below are two of the most popular examples of how our customers set up Anka Virtualization with the Build Cloud.

Controller-less (Registry Only)

This setup requires:

1. At least one Anka Node (macOS host running the Anka Virtualization software).
2. A linux container running the Anka Build Cloud Registry.
3. Your CI/CD’s runner/agent installed and able to execute anka CLI commands to prepare and use the Anka VM. For example, install the github actions runner and then use our action.

Controller + Registry

This setup requires:

1. At least one Anka Node (macOS host running the Anka Virtualization software).
2. A linux container running the Anka Build Cloud Controller & Registry.
3. Our plugin installed in your CI/CD tool (like the Anka Jenkins Plugin). See a full list of plugins available on our CI Plugins and Integrations page.