# understanding env var handling of zinit

**URL:** <https://staging.forum.threefold.io/t/understanding-env-var-handling-of-zinit/4674>\
**Category:** ThreeFold Technology\
**Created:** [December 29, 2025, 7:17am UTC](https://staging.forum.threefold.io/t/understanding-env-var-handling-of-zinit/4674 "2025-12-29T07:17:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![scott](https://staging.forum.threefold.io/user_avatar/staging.forum.threefold.io/scott/32/604_2.png) [@scott](https://staging.forum.threefold.io/u/scott)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2025, 11:26pm UTC](https://staging.forum.threefold.io/t/understanding-env-var-handling-of-zinit/4674/7 "2025-12-30T23:26:40Z")

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> [@torstello](#):
>
> Could you explain why the zinit repo is now archived (read only)?  
> [GitHub - threefoldtech/zinit: A init replacement that feels like runit written in rust+tokio · GitHub](https://github.com/threefoldtech/zinit)

We are migrating to a self hosted git forge. Zinit can be found here now: [Making sure you're not a bot!](https://forge.ourworld.tf/geomind_code/zinit)

> [@torstello](#):
>
> Will there be any (big) changes for the (micro-) vm deloyments in the next grid version (v4)?

This is still a work in progress, but I think we’ll have similar support for the micro VM images like we use in v3.

> [@torstello](#):
>
> - do i understand [the documentation](https://manual.grid.tf/labs/documentation/dashboard/deploy/vm_intro/vm_differences) right, that the micro vm is run as a linux container and the full vm on a (xen or other) hypervisor?
> - Then the nextcloud (aio) lab deployment runs on a micro vm (b/c it’s based on a flist);  
> but in this case the nc-aio mastercontainer downloads and starts/administers multiple other containers. That would mean there is a docker install within an already running (docker) container?

Micro VMs are VMs. The connection to Docker comes from:

1. The fact that we support converting Docker images to our VM image format
2. Some aspects are in the spirit of containers, like the environment variables and entrypoint settings

A micro VM is provided with a generic kernel by Zos. Thus the image doesn’t need to contain a kernel (it can be as small as a single binary, just like a container). Zos also provides a small initramfs that does a couple things like setting up the disks and the networking before launching the entrypoint.

So Docker can run fine inside a micro VM, with a [caveat](https://staging.forum.threefold.io/t/how-to-use-docker-in-threefold-vms/4583) about where the data is stored.

> [@torstello](#):
>
> I’m especially interested in the nc deployment b/c i would (for example) like to also mount an additional backup disk but there’re no further config options when using the official lab deployment.

There are a couple of ways to customize the deployment. One would be to use the micro VM deployment flow in the dashboard and fill in the env variables manually. Then you could add the additional disk. Another would be to use Terraform with the official flist image (if this interest you I can provide a template).

I think adding and using a backup disk should work fine without needing to customize the flist actually.

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