Use vm/ instead of the hidden .vm/ as the default state directory

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.gitignore

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-# QEMU runtime state and writable overlays
+# QEMU runtime state and writable overlays (vm/ in the repository root)
-.vm
+/vm/
 
 # VM disk and generated installation/seed images
 *.qcow2

README.md

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ background while still showing the graphical window:
 ```
 
 The launcher uses KVM when `/dev/kvm` is accessible, forwards host port `2222`
-to guest port `22`, and creates `.vm/debian13/disk.qcow2` as a 20G writable overlay with the
+to guest port `22`, and creates `vm/debian13/disk.qcow2` as a 20G writable overlay with the
 original qcow2 image as its backing file. The base image therefore stays
 unchanged. Run `./run-debian13.py --help` for the supported environment
 variables.
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ architecture-specific devices are in `qemu/debian13-<os>-<arch>.ini`
 (os `linux` or `darwin`, arch `amd64` or `arm64`), together with the
 accelerators. Edit these files to change the settings. The
 launcher fills in the `${...}` file path placeholders of `qemu/debian13.ini`,
-writes the result to `.vm/debian13/qemu.ini` and starts QEMU with
+writes the result to `vm/debian13/qemu.ini` and starts QEMU with
 `-readconfig` for that file followed by the one for the host system and guest architecture.
 QEMU arguments given after `--` override the config files, for example
 `./run-debian13.py -- -m 4G -smp 4`.
 
 The launchers accept `--state-dir DIR` to keep
 the VM disk, seed ISO, UEFI variables, PID file and console log in `DIR`
-instead of the default `.vm/<name>/`. The option takes precedence over the
+instead of the default `vm/<name>/`. The option takes precedence over the
 corresponding `*_STATE_DIR` environment variable:
 
 ```bash
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ for Windows 11 (whose installation ISO and base QCOW2 are supplied manually):
 ./run-fedora44.py --download-only
 ```
 
-If `.vm/debian13/seed.iso` is missing, the launcher automatically builds it
+If `vm/debian13/seed.iso` is missing, the launcher automatically builds it
 from `seediso/debian13/user-data`, `seediso/debian13/meta-data`, and
 `seediso/debian13/network-config` before starting the VM.
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ Start an AlmaLinux 10 Generic Cloud VM with:
 
 When the shared AlmaLinux image is missing, the launcher calls the selected
 image helper with `almalinux10`. It creates the writable
-overlay `.vm/almalinux10/disk.qcow2` and uses the NoCloud configuration in
+overlay `vm/almalinux10/disk.qcow2` and uses the NoCloud configuration in
 `seediso/almalinux10/`. SSH is forwarded to host port `2223` by default:
 
 ```bash
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ ALMA_VM_MEMORY=4G ALMA_VM_CPUS=4 ALMA_VM_SSH_PORT=2224 ./run-almalinux10.py
 ```
 
 Run `./run-almalinux10.py --help` for all supported settings. The seed ISO is
-stored alongside the VM disk at `.vm/almalinux10/seed.iso`. If it already
+stored alongside the VM disk at `vm/almalinux10/seed.iso`. If it already
 exists after editing its source files, rebuild it explicitly with
-`./seediso/almalinux10/build-seed.sh .vm/almalinux10/seed.iso`.
+`./seediso/almalinux10/build-seed.sh vm/almalinux10/seed.iso`.
 
 ## Fedora 44
 
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ Start a Fedora 44 Cloud Base VM with:
 ```
 
 The launcher downloads the `fedora44` image through the shared helper when it
-is missing, creates `.vm/fedora44/disk.qcow2`, and builds its NoCloud seed from
+is missing, creates `vm/fedora44/disk.qcow2`, and builds its NoCloud seed from
 `seediso/fedora44/`. SSH is forwarded to host port `2224` by default:
 
 ```bash
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ Start an Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon) cloud image VM with:
 ```
 
 The launcher downloads the `ubuntu2604` image through the shared helper when
-it is missing, creates `.vm/ubuntu2604/disk.qcow2`, and builds its NoCloud seed
+it is missing, creates `vm/ubuntu2604/disk.qcow2`, and builds its NoCloud seed
 from `seediso/ubuntu2604/`. Like the Debian seed, it injects the current user's
 SSH public key and points APT at the USTC mirror (`ubuntu-ports` on arm64).
 SSH is forwarded to host port `2225` by default:
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ from the shared Windows 11 QCOW2 base image:
 ./run-windows11.py
 ```
 
-It creates a persistent 64G disk at `.vm/windows11/disk.qcow2`, automatically
+It creates a persistent 64G disk at `vm/windows11/disk.qcow2`, automatically
 partitions it, completes OOBE, creates the local administrator `guofang` with
 the initial password `wang`, and enables Remote Desktop on
 `localhost:3389`. During the first login it also silently installs the VirtIO
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ drivers (the guest tools installer on amd64, the Arm64 driver packages from the
 VirtIO ISO with `pnputil` on arm64), without which the guest has no network on
 arm64. The installer includes the VirtIO drivers, SPICE vdagent, and QEMU Guest
 Agent. The launcher exposes the vdagent channel for host/guest clipboard
-integration and the QEMU Guest Agent at `.vm/windows11/qemu-guest-agent.sock`.
+integration and the QEMU Guest Agent at `vm/windows11/qemu-guest-agent.sock`.
 Change the password after first login. The OpenSSH Server is installed during
 the first logon from the Win32-OpenSSH zip for the host architecture, which the
 seed ISO carries (downloaded by `vm-images/download-images.sh openssh-win`), so
@@ -184,11 +184,11 @@ administrator login.
 The Windows VM hardware (8G memory, 8 CPUs, system disk, devices)
 is defined in `qemu/windows11.ini`, with the accelerators and machine type in
 `qemu/windows11-<os>-<arch>.ini`; the launcher renders the former to
-`.vm/windows11/qemu.ini` and loads both with `-readconfig`. Only the network
+`vm/windows11/qemu.ini` and loads both with `-readconfig`. Only the network
 and the installation media are still set by the launcher. QEMU arguments after
 `--` override the config files, for example `./run-windows11.py -- -m 4G -smp 4`.
 The generated answer-file ISO is stored beside the disk as
-`.vm/windows11/seed.iso`.
+`vm/windows11/seed.iso`.
 
 To install from the Windows ISO instead, use `./run-windows11.py
 --install-from-iso`. This choice only applies while creating a missing system

run-almalinux10.py

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ else:
     base_image = Path(result.stdout.rstrip("\n"))
     uses_shared_base_image = True
 
-state_dir = Path(env("ALMA_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / ".vm" / "almalinux10")
+state_dir = Path(env("ALMA_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / "vm" / "almalinux10")
 disk_size = env("ALMA_VM_DISK_SIZE") or "20G"
 memory = env("ALMA_VM_MEMORY") or "8G"
 cpus = env("ALMA_VM_CPUS") or "8"
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Options:
   --daemon         Run in the background while keeping the graphical window
   --download-only  Download the base image if it is missing, then exit
   --state-dir DIR  Directory for the VM disk, seed ISO and runtime files
-                   (default: .vm/almalinux10; overrides ALMA_VM_STATE_DIR)
+                   (default: vm/almalinux10; overrides ALMA_VM_STATE_DIR)
   -h, --help       Show this help
 
 Environment variables:
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ Environment variables:
   ALMA_VM_SSH_PORT       Host port forwarded to guest SSH (default: 2223)
   ALMA_VM_BASE_IMAGE     Base qcow2 image path (default: resolved by shared image helper)
   ALMA_VM_SEED_IMAGE     cloud-init seed ISO path (default: alongside the VM disk)
-  ALMA_VM_STATE_DIR      Runtime state directory (default: .vm/almalinux10)
+  ALMA_VM_STATE_DIR      Runtime state directory (default: vm/almalinux10)
   ALMA_VM_DISK_IMAGE     Writable overlay path
   ALMA_VM_DISK_SIZE      New overlay virtual capacity (default: 20G)
   VM_IMAGE_ARCH          Guest/host architecture: arm64 or amd64 (default: auto-detected from the host)

run-debian13.py

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ else:
     base_image = Path(result.stdout.rstrip("\n"))
     uses_shared_base_image = True
 
-state_dir = Path(env("VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / ".vm" / "debian13")
+state_dir = Path(env("VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / "vm" / "debian13")
 disk_size = env("VM_DISK_SIZE") or "20G"
 
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def usage(stream=sys.stdout):
 Usage: {Path(sys.argv[0]).name} [--daemon] [--download-only] [--state-dir DIR] [-- QEMU_ARGUMENT ...]
 
 Start the Debian 13 virtual machine. A writable overlay is created in the state
-directory (default: .vm/debian13/), so the downloaded base image is never
+directory (default: vm/debian13/), so the downloaded base image is never
 modified. The VM hardware (memory, CPUs, SSH port forward, ...) is defined in
 qemu/debian13.ini, which is rendered to qemu.ini in the state directory and
 loaded with QEMU's -readconfig, followed by qemu/debian13-<os>-<arch>.ini (os is linux or darwin, arch is amd64 or arm64). Later
@@ -134,13 +134,13 @@ Options:
   --daemon         Run in the background while keeping the graphical window
   --download-only  Download the base image if it is missing, then exit
   --state-dir DIR  Directory for the VM disk, seed ISO and runtime files
-                   (default: .vm/debian13; overrides VM_STATE_DIR)
+                   (default: vm/debian13; overrides VM_STATE_DIR)
   -h, --help       Show this help
 
 Environment variables:
   VM_BASE_IMAGE  Base qcow2 image path (default: resolved by shared image helper)
   VM_SEED_IMAGE  cloud-init seed ISO path (default: alongside the VM disk)
-  VM_STATE_DIR   Runtime state directory (default: .vm/debian13)
+  VM_STATE_DIR   Runtime state directory (default: vm/debian13)
   VM_DISK_IMAGE  Writable overlay path
   VM_DISK_SIZE   New overlay virtual capacity (default: 20G)
   VM_IMAGE_ARCH  Guest/host architecture: arm64 or amd64 (default: auto-detected from the host)

run-fedora44.py

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ else:
     base_image = Path(result.stdout.rstrip("\n"))
     uses_shared_base_image = True
 
-state_dir = Path(env("FEDORA_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / ".vm" / "fedora44")
+state_dir = Path(env("FEDORA_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / "vm" / "fedora44")
 disk_size = env("FEDORA_VM_DISK_SIZE") or "20G"
 
 
@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@ Options:
   --daemon         Run in the background while keeping the graphical window
   --download-only  Download the base image if it is missing, then exit
   --state-dir DIR  Directory for the VM disk, seed ISO and runtime files
-                   (default: .vm/fedora44; overrides FEDORA_VM_STATE_DIR)
+                   (default: vm/fedora44; overrides FEDORA_VM_STATE_DIR)
   -h, --help       Show this help
 
 Environment variables:
   FEDORA_VM_BASE_IMAGE     Base qcow2 image path (default: resolved by shared image helper)
   FEDORA_VM_SEED_IMAGE     cloud-init seed ISO path (default: alongside the VM disk)
-  FEDORA_VM_STATE_DIR      Runtime state directory (default: .vm/fedora44)
+  FEDORA_VM_STATE_DIR      Runtime state directory (default: vm/fedora44)
   FEDORA_VM_DISK_IMAGE     Writable overlay path
   FEDORA_VM_DISK_SIZE      New overlay virtual capacity (default: 20G)
   VM_IMAGE_ARCH            Guest/host architecture: arm64 or amd64 (default: auto-detected from the host)

run-ubuntu2604.py

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ else:
     base_image = Path(result.stdout.rstrip("\n"))
     uses_shared_base_image = True
 
-state_dir = Path(env("UBUNTU_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / ".vm" / "ubuntu2604")
+state_dir = Path(env("UBUNTU_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / "vm" / "ubuntu2604")
 disk_size = env("UBUNTU_VM_DISK_SIZE") or "20G"
 
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def usage(stream=sys.stdout):
 Usage: {Path(sys.argv[0]).name} [--daemon] [--download-only] [--state-dir DIR] [-- QEMU_ARGUMENT ...]
 
 Start an Ubuntu 26.04 LTS cloud image virtual machine. A writable overlay is
-created in the state directory (default: .vm/ubuntu2604/), so the downloaded
+created in the state directory (default: vm/ubuntu2604/), so the downloaded
 base image is never modified. The VM hardware (memory, CPUs, SSH port forward,
 ...) is defined in qemu/ubuntu2604.ini, which is rendered to qemu.ini in the
 state directory and loaded with QEMU's -readconfig, followed by
@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@ Options:
   --daemon         Run in the background while keeping the graphical window
   --download-only  Download the base image if it is missing, then exit
   --state-dir DIR  Directory for the VM disk, seed ISO and runtime files
-                   (default: .vm/ubuntu2604; overrides UBUNTU_VM_STATE_DIR)
+                   (default: vm/ubuntu2604; overrides UBUNTU_VM_STATE_DIR)
   -h, --help       Show this help
 
 Environment variables:
   UBUNTU_VM_BASE_IMAGE     Base qcow2 image path (default: resolved by shared image helper)
   UBUNTU_VM_SEED_IMAGE     cloud-init seed ISO path (default: alongside the VM disk)
-  UBUNTU_VM_STATE_DIR      Runtime state directory (default: .vm/ubuntu2604)
+  UBUNTU_VM_STATE_DIR      Runtime state directory (default: vm/ubuntu2604)
   UBUNTU_VM_DISK_IMAGE     Writable overlay path
   UBUNTU_VM_DISK_SIZE      New overlay virtual capacity (default: 20G)
   VM_IMAGE_ARCH            Guest/host architecture: arm64 or amd64 (default: auto-detected from the host)

run-windows11.py

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def find_image_downloader():
     return image_downloader
 
 
-state_dir = Path(env("WIN11_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / ".vm" / "windows11")
+state_dir = Path(env("WIN11_VM_STATE_DIR") or script_dir / "vm" / "windows11")
 disk_size = env("WIN11_VM_DISK_SIZE") or "64G"
 rdp_port = env("WIN11_VM_RDP_PORT") or "3389"
 ssh_port = env("WIN11_VM_SSH_PORT") or "2222"
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ Options:
                       overrides VM_IMAGE_ARCH). A guest that differs from the
                       host runs under slow TCG emulation
   --state-dir DIR     Directory for the VM disk, seed ISO and runtime files
-                      (default: .vm/windows11; overrides WIN11_VM_STATE_DIR)
+                      (default: vm/windows11; overrides WIN11_VM_STATE_DIR)
   --rdp-port PORT     Host port forwarded to guest RDP (default: 3389;
                       overrides WIN11_VM_RDP_PORT)
   --ssh-port PORT     Host port forwarded to guest SSH (default: 2222;
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ Environment variables:
   WIN11_VM_TOOLS_ISO    VirtIO Windows tools ISO (default: resolved by shared image helper)
   WIN11_VM_RDP_PORT     Host RDP port (default: 3389)
   WIN11_VM_SSH_PORT     Host SSH port (default: 2222)
-  WIN11_VM_STATE_DIR    Runtime directory (default: .vm/windows11)
+  WIN11_VM_STATE_DIR    Runtime directory (default: vm/windows11)
   WIN11_VM_DISK_IMAGE   System disk path
   WIN11_VM_DISK_SIZE    New system disk size (default: 64G)
   WIN11_VM_SEED_ISO     Answer-file ISO path (default: alongside the VM disk)