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RFSwift_QuickRun2026.mp4
RF Swift is a revolutionary toolbox that transforms any computer into a powerful RF testing laboratory without requiring a dedicated operating system. 🔄 Unlike traditional approaches that force you to sacrifice your primary OS, RF Swift brings containerized RF tools to your existing environment. 🏠
| Feature | RF Swift | Dedicated OS |
|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Host OS Preservation | ✅ Keep your existing OS | ❌ Requires dedicated partition or VM |
| 🛡️ Tool Isolation | ✅ Tools contained without system impact | ❌ Tools can destabilize system |
| ⚡ Deployment Speed | ✅ Seconds to deploy | ❌ Hours for full installation |
| 💾 Disk Space | ✅ Only install tools you need | ❌ Requires 20-50GB minimum |
| 🔄 Updates | ✅ Update individual tools without risk | ❌ System-wide updates can break functionality |
| 🌐 Multi-architecture | ✅ x86_64, ARM64, RISCV64 and more! | ❌ Limited architecture support |
| 🔁 Reproducibility | ✅ Identical environments everywhere | ❌ System drift between other installations |
| 💼 Work Environment | ✅ Use alongside productivity tools | ❌ Switch contexts between systems |
| 📹 Session Recording | ✅ Built-in recording for documentation | ❌ Manual setup required |
| 🎨 Easy Customization | ✅ Simple YAML recipes for custom images | ❌ Complex OS modifications |
- 🏠 Non-disruptive Integration: Run specialized RF tools while continuing to use your preferred OS for daily work
- 🧩 Modular Tool Selection: Deploy only the tools you need, when you need them
- 🛡️ Containerized Isolation: Prevent RF tools from affecting system stability or security
- 🌍 Cross-platform Compatibility: Works seamlessly on Linux, Windows, and macOS
- 🔌 Dynamic Hardware Integration: Connect and disconnect USB devices, ports, capabilities, and resources without recreating containers
- 🌐 NAT Networking: Isolated container networks with configurable subnets for multi-container RF lab setups
- 📋 Container Profiles: YAML presets for quick deployment of preconfigured container environments
- ⚡ GPU Acceleration: Dedicated images with OpenCL support for Intel and NVIDIA GPUs
- 💾 Space Efficiency: Use a fraction of the disk space required by dedicated OS solutions
RF Swift supports both Docker and Podman as container engines, giving you the freedom to choose the runtime that best fits your environment:
| Docker | Podman | Lima | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Client-server daemon | Daemonless, fork-exec | Docker inside QEMU VM |
| Root required | Yes (daemon runs as root) | No (rootless by default) | No (VM managed by Lima) |
| USB passthrough | Linux only | Linux only | macOS via QMP hot-plug |
| Best for | Broad ecosystem, Windows/macOS | Security-focused, air-gapped | macOS + USB RF hardware |
RF Swift automatically detects the available container engine at startup. If both are installed, Docker is used by default. Override with:
rfswift --engine podman run -n mycontainer -i penthertz/rfswift_noble:sdr_light
rfswift --engine docker run -n mycontainer -i penthertz/rfswift_noble:sdr_light
rfswift --engine lima run -n mycontainer -i penthertz/rfswift_noble:sdr_light # macOS USB2026-02-09.15-30-30.mp4
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Rootless containers: No daemon, no root — ideal for locked-down environments and shared lab machines
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OCI-compatible images: All existing RF Swift images work out of the box with Podman
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Seamless device passthrough: USB SDR dongles, serial adapters, and GPUs work with both engines
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Automatic cgroup handling: RF Swift detects cgroup v1/v2 and configures device access rules accordingly
Docker Desktop and Podman on macOS cannot forward USB devices (SDR dongles, HackRF, RTL-SDR, etc.) into containers. RF Swift solves this with Lima, which runs a QEMU VM with USB hot-plug support:
# Install Lima (PentHertz fork with USB passthrough support) + QEMU
brew install qemu
curl -fsSL https://github.com/PentHertz/lima/releases/download/v2.1.1/lima-2.1.1-Darwin-$(uname -m).tar.gz -o /tmp/lima.tar.gz
sudo tar xz -C /usr/local -f /tmp/lima.tar.gz
# Attach your SDR dongle to the Lima VM
rfswift macusb list # see host USB devices
rfswift macusb attach --vid 0x1d50 --pid 0x604b # forward HackRF to VM
# Run container via Lima's Docker (where USB device lives)
rfswift --engine lima run -i penthertz/rfswift_noble:sdr_light -n sdr_work
# When done, detach
rfswift macusb detach --vid 0x1d50 --pid 0x604bLima auto-creates the VM on first use with Docker, USB libraries, kernel modules, and udev rules for all supported RF hardware pre-configured. Use --engine lima when you need USB devices; use Docker Desktop normally for everything else.
# Install with the interactive installer (offers Docker, Podman, or both)
curl -fsSL "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PentHertz/RF-Swift/refs/heads/main/scripts/get_rfswift.sh" | sh
# Or install Podman manually
sudo apt install podman # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo dnf install podman # Fedora/RHEL
sudo pacman -S podman # Arch Linux
brew install podman # macOSNote: When using Podman in rootless mode, some operations (like direct device passthrough) may require additional configuration. RF Swift handles most of this automatically, but see the documentation for details.
rfswiftdemo.mp4
rfswift-demo-gqrxonwindows.mp4
RF Swift's container approach allows for specialized environments optimized for specific tasks. All images are OCI-compatible and work with both Docker and Podman.
graph TD;
A[corebuild]-->B[sdrsa_devices];
A-->C[rfid];
A-->D[automotive];
A-->E[reversing];
A-->H[network];
B-->I[sdr_light];
B-->J[bluetooth];
B-->K[telecom_utils];
B-->L[hardware];
H-->M[wifi];
I-->N[sdr_full];
K-->P[telecom_2Gto3G];
K-->Q[telecom_4G_5GNSA];
K-->R[telecom_4Gto5G];
K-->S[telecom_5G];
200+ tools across 15+ images, all on x86_64, ARM64, and RISC-V64.
Full image list with detailed tool inventory available at rfswift.io/docs/guide/list-of-tools/
- 🧰 Rapid Assessment Deployment: Deploy a complete RF lab at client sites in minutes
- 🔄 Consistent Environments: Eliminate "works on my machine" issues
- ⚙️ Parallel Testing: Run multiple isolated assessments simultaneously
- 📹 Documentation: Built-in session recording for client reports
- 🛠️ Custom Toolsets: Create specialized containers for specific engagements
- 📊 Reproducible Research: Share exact tool environments with papers
- 🧪 Experiment Isolation: Keep experimental configurations separate
- 🌐 Multi-platform Collaboration: Work across Linux, Windows, and macOS
- 🔢 Version Control: Test with specific tool versions for reproducibility
- ⚡ Resource Optimization: Allocate resources based on research needs
- 🏫 Classroom Deployment: Identical environments for all students
- 💻 No OS Reinstall: Students keep their existing operating systems
- 🖥️ Low Requirements: Works on standard lab computers
- 📚 Focused Learning: Custom containers for specific lessons
- 🔄 Quick Reset: Easily reset environments between classes
- 🔍 Production Testing: Consistent RF testing environments
- 📡 Device Validation: Test wireless product compliance
- 🔧 Firmware Analysis: Isolated environments for firmware testing
- 📊 Quality Assurance: Reproducible test configurations
- 🦭 Rootless with Podman: No privileged daemon required — ideal for SOC-compliant and hardened systems
- 🏔️ Air-gapped labs: Pre-pull images, deploy without internet using Podman's daemonless architecture
- 🛡️ Minimal attack surface: No long-running daemon socket to protect
Comprehensive documentation is available at rfswift.io, including:
- 🚀 Getting Started Guide
- 🏁 Quick Start Tutorial
- 📘 User Guide
- 📝 YAML Recipe Guide
- 👨💻 Development Documentation
- 🧰 List of Included Tools
- 🛡️ Security Guidelines
RF Swift is used in professional training courses by Penthertz:
- 📻 Software Defined Radio assessments
- 📱 Mobile network security testing
- 🚗 Automotive security analysis
- 🏭 IoT and embedded device testing
Contact us for custom training programs.
- 💬 Join our Discord for community support and discussions
- 🐛 Report issues on GitHub
- 💡 Request features via GitHub Discussions
- 🐦 Follow us on X (Twitter): @FlUxIuS and @Penthertz
- 📧 Professional inquiries: penthertz.com
We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:
- 🧰 Tool Integration: Add new tools or improve existing ones
- 🐞 Bug Fixes: Submit PRs to fix reported issues
- ✨ New Features: Implement new capabilities
- 📝 Documentation: Improve guides and examples
- 📝 YAML Recipes: Share your custom image recipes
- 🎓 Tutorials: Create guides for specific tools or workflows
- 🐛 Bug Reports: Report issues you encounter
- 💡 Feature Requests: Suggest improvements
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature) - Open a Pull Request
RF Swift is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0. See LICENSE file for details.
Special thanks to:
- All contributors and clients who have helped improve RF Swift
- The open-source RF and security tool developers whose work we integrate
- The community for feedback, bug reports, and feature requests
- Conference organizers who have hosted our presentations