Virtual DSM
Virtual DSM is a Docker container that runs a virtual Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) install with KVM acceleration, giving self-hosters a full Synology…
Platform availability
Available on 1 of 9 platforms
- Unraid
- TrueNAS (not listed)
- Umbrel (not listed)
- ZimaOS (not listed)
- Proxmox (not listed)
- Helm (not listed)
- Mac (not listed)
- Windows (not listed)
- Linux (not listed)
Health score?A 0-100 score computed nightly from four factors: maintained (40%: recent commits and steady activity), popular (25%: GitHub stars, log scale), easy to install (20%: platforms, install notes, setup guides, Docker image) and light to run (15%: minimum RAM, ARM support). When the source code has been checked, a fifth factor, security check (20%: automated scan for committed secrets, unsafe desktop-app settings, known-vulnerable dependencies and project hygiene; any serious finding caps it at 20), is added. Factors without data are left out and the rest are rescaled.
74/100 Good
- Maintained
- 99last commit 41 days ago
- Popular
- 723,984 GitHub stars
- Easy to install
- 351 install platform, install notes, Docker image
- Light to run
- 602 GB minimum RAM, runs on ARM
Availability: platform listings confirmed today, links checked 9 days ago
- GitHub stars
- 3,984
- Open issues
- 3
- Last commit
- 2026-09-02
- Latest release
- v7.66
- License
- MIT
- Activity
- stale
Checked 5 days ago - source: GitHub (vdsm/virtual-dsm)
Resources & Compatibility
Minimum requirements: 2 GB RAM, 16 GB disk. ARM (e.g. Raspberry Pi) is supported.
Checked 15 days ago - source: Docker Hub image tags and published docs
First-install notes
- Install the right TanStack package Install the TanStack Virtual package that matches your app's framework (the code library used to build the interface), for example @tanstack/react-virtual for React, using npm (the package installer). If the package is missing or wrong, the app can't find the scrolling/list code and may not start. source
- Install Pretext before starting Run the listed npm install command for Pretext before starting the app. If that package is missing, parts of the app can fail to load. source
- KVM requirement Pass /dev/kvm through the container for KVM acceleration; the Docker example also passes /dev/net/tun and adds the NET_ADMIN capability for the NAT, macvlan and macvtap networking options. source
Fetched 5 days ago - each note links to its source
Variants
Alternatives
No alternatives collected yet.
Common questions
What host compatibility check is mentioned for Virtual DSM troubleshooting?
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) support is required. Verify KVM compatibility before troubleshooting specific problems.
What deployment comparison is discussed in the vDSM thread?
The thread compares running vDSM in a VM versus Docker and raises questions about monitoring disk health and RAID in a Docker container.
What do users ask about in the Synology/QNAP Docker thread?
They ask whether Synology or QNAP storage can run inside Docker containers and request links to related setups.
Where can I find the project’s issue list?
It is on the project’s GitHub Issues page.
Answers sourced from deepwiki.com, github.com, www.reddit.com, www.reddit.com
Community
- Virtual DSM for docker : r/selfhosted - Reddit (reddit)
- Virtual DSM - docker : r/selfhosted - Reddit (reddit)
- Can you run Synology/QNAP inside docker container : r/selfhosted - Reddit (reddit)
- Run vDSM in a VM : r/Xpenology - Reddit (reddit)
- Virtual DSM for docker : r/unRAID - Reddit (reddit)
- Virtual DSM (vDSM) practical application - synoforum.com (forum)
Collected 14 days ago - public community threads