Where Does Toolbox Store Containers and Config?
Toolbox containers live in Podman storage with your real home mounted inside, configured via toolbox.conf.
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Toolbox containers are secretly thin. Your home directory mounts straight through, so the container and the host share every dotfile and project. Container images and overlays sit in Podman storage under .local/share/containers. Settings live in toolbox.conf under the containers config dir.
That sharing cuts both ways. Deleting a toolbox never touches your work, since work was never inside it. Identify toolbox shells by the containerenv marker or the toolbox label on the container, and use /run/host when scripts need the true host tree.
Where Toolbox stores this, by platform
~/.local/share/containers
Podman image and container storage for toolbox images and overlays. List contents with toolbox list and podman images.
~/.config/containers/toolbox.conf
Toolbox specific settings beside the shared containers config. Home itself needs no backup entry here since it is the real home.
Frequently asked questions
How do I list and delete Toolbox containers?
List them with toolbox list and remove by name. Images stay cached in Podman storage until pruned, so containers are cheap to recreate.
Where do files I create in a toolbox go?
Nowhere to copy: the container sees your real home directory bind mounted. Files you create land in home directly and survive container deletion.
How do I reach host files from inside?
Reach the host tree at /run/host from inside. Check the toolbox label or the toolboxenv marker to confirm which side of the glass you are on.
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