runc-update(8)

runc-update8

Update running container resource constraints

Usage

runc update [option ...] container-id

runc {update -r resources.json | - container-id}

Overview

The update command change the resource constraints of a running container instance.

The resources can be set using options, or, if -r is used, parsed from JSON provided as a file or from stdin.

In case -r is used, the JSON format is like this:

{
	"memory": {
		"limit": 0,
			"reservation": 0,
			"swap": 0,
			"kernel": 0,
			"kernelTCP": 0
	},
		"cpu": {
			"shares": 0,
			"quota": 0,
			"burst": 0,
			"period": 0,
			"realtimeRuntime": 0,
			"realtimePeriod": 0,
			"cpus": "",
			"mems": ""
		},
		"blockIO": {
			"blkioWeight": 0
		}
}

Options

--resources|-r resources.json

Read the new resource limits from resources.json. Use - to read from stdin. If this option is used, all other options are ignored.

--blkio-weight weight

Set a new io weight.

--cpu-period num

Set CPU CFS period to be used for hardcapping (in microseconds)

--cpu-quota num

Set CPU usage limit within a given period (in microseconds).

--cpu-burst num

Set CPU burst limit within a given period (in microseconds).

--cpu-rt-period num

Set CPU realtime period to be used for hardcapping (in microseconds).

--cpu-rt-runtime num

Set CPU realtime hardcap limit (in usecs). Allowed cpu time in a given period.

--cpu-share num

Set CPU shares (relative weight vs. other containers).

--cpuset-cpus list

Set CPU(s) to use. The list can contain commas and ranges. For example: 0-3,7.

--cpuset-mems list

Set memory node(s) to use. The list format is the same as for --cpuset-cpus.

--memory num

Set memory limit to num bytes.

--memory-reservation num

Set memory reservation, or soft limit, to num bytes.

--memory-swap num

Set total memory + swap usage to num bytes. Use -1 to unset the limit (i.e. use unlimited swap).

--pids-limit num

Set the maximum number of processes allowed in the container. Use -1 to unset the limit.

--l3-cache-schema value

Set the value for Intel RDT/CAT L3 cache schema.

--mem-bw-schema value

Set the Intel RDT/MBA memory bandwidth schema.

Releases

5 releases since Debian 10 (Buster); the text changed 4 times.

  1. 10
  2. 11
  3. 12
  4. 13
  5. Arch

--blkio-weight since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpu-burst since Arch Linux 2026-11-01; --cpu-period since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpu-quota since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpu-rt-period since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpu-rt-runtime since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpu-share since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpuset-cpus since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --cpuset-mems since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --l3-cache-schema since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --mem-bw-schema since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --memory since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --memory-reservation since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --memory-swap since Debian 12 (Bookworm); --pids-limit since Debian 12 (Bookworm).

From runc 1.5.2-1 in Arch Linux 2026-11-01. Parsed by carta from the page's man source.