Cloonix

What Cloonix is

Cloonix is a KVM-based framework for creating and viewing virtual networks. Users build a topology from virtual machines, containers, and other network items, connect them through Open vSwitch bridges, and view the arrangement on a graphical canvas. Its virtual machines use QEMU-KVM. Containers run with crun and can take ZIP files or directories as root filesystems.

Documented network elements include NAT, host TAP and physical interfaces, links between Cloonix networks, and a packet transit item for dropping, shaping, or delaying traffic. Wi-Fi emulation uses vwifi between QEMU-KVM machines; the documentation also describes using the iw command to place a physical interface in a container namespace. For supported interfaces, a Wireshark spy can display or save packet captures, though it is not the complete Wireshark application. Other named components include SPICE. Cloonix is an AGPLv3 suite of C software components and a user-land application that requires a Linux distribution to run. The project lists both Linux and web platforms. It offers a bundle installation requiring administrative privileges and a cloonix-toy installation that does not require root or administrator privileges. The homepage lists version 53.01, dated November 4, 2025, as the latest version.

Who it suits

Cloonix suits people building emulated network topologies from Linux hosts, virtual machines, containers, and network interfaces. It may also suit users who need to inspect or save packet captures on supported interfaces or use its server deployment and automation API.

Limits

Cloonix requires a Linux distribution to run. The bundle installation requires administrative privileges; cloonix-toy does not require root or administrator privileges.

Getting started

1. Open the Cloonix website and choose the bundle or cloonix-toy installation.
2. Use the bundle if administrative privileges are available, or cloonix-toy if they are not.
3. Run Cloonix on a Linux distribution.
4. Build a topology with virtual machines, containers, and documented network items.
5. Connect items through Open vSwitch bridges and inspect the topology on the graphical canvas.

Verdict

Choose Cloonix if you need an AGPLv3 framework for assembling and viewing virtual network topologies on a Linux host. Consider the installation route carefully: the bundle needs administrative privileges, while cloonix-toy does not; packet inspection through its spy is limited to supported interfaces.