`limactl create` should ask whether to start the instance

[AkihiroSuda]

lima/cmd/limactl/edit.go

Line 184 in 91200bc

message := "Do you want to start the instance now? "

This prompt should be shown when running limactl create too.

[afbjorklund]

There was a similar feature to create the instance if it does not exist, but I don't think that it got an issue - only PRs?

• limactl shell: ask whether to start the instance if not running #2763
• limactl shell: ask whether to start the instance if not running #2832

[opjt]

I'd like to take this issue

[jandubois]

This prompt should be shown when running limactl create too.

Why?

This is a breaking change (scripts that would continue to run will now wait for user input), so should not be merged until Lima 3.0.

But really, when you want to create and start a VM, why not use limactl start?

[norio-nomura]

In my personal opinion, I don't like the interactive function in general, which suggests options for additional actions.

In shell, I avoid limactl with alias as limactl --tty=false, but when the shell alias does not work due to booting from the debugger, etc., I really feel that those interactive functions are in the way because I have to specify a separate option.

[jandubois]

In my personal opinion, I don't like the interactive function in general, which suggests options for additional actions.

I feel the same way.

I would prefer that commands just have a --start option if people really want to avoid running 2 commands, but otherwise you can always run limactl start after.

Getting prompted for the benefit of people who don't plan ahead feels slightly offensive, as it rewards the wrong behaviour.

That said, I don't want to change the existing behaviour, as that wouldn't be backwards compatible, but I wouldn't mind a global mechanism to turn prompting off. Maybe just with an env variable you can set in your shell profile.