canonical · levkropp · Jun 26, 2025
diff --git a/include/multipass/client_cert_store.h b/include/multipass/client_cert_store.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <multipass/cert_store.h>
-#include <multipass/path.h>
 
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QList>
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ namespace multipass
 class ClientCertStore : public CertStore
 {
 public:
-    explicit ClientCertStore(const multipass::Path& cert_dir);
+    explicit ClientCertStore(const QString& cert_dir);
     void add_cert(const std::string& pem_cert) override;
     std::string PEM_cert_chain() const override;
     bool verify_cert(const std::string& pem_cert) override;

diff --git a/include/multipass/default_vm_blueprint_provider.h b/include/multipass/default_vm_blueprint_provider.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <multipass/path.h>
 #include <multipass/vm_blueprint_provider.h>
 
 #include <yaml-cpp/yaml.h>

diff --git a/include/multipass/path.h b/include/multipass/path.h
diff --git a/include/multipass/platform.h b/include/multipass/platform.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ void sync_winterm_profiles();
 
 std::string default_server_address();
 
-VirtualMachineFactory::UPtr vm_backend(const Path& data_dir);
+VirtualMachineFactory::UPtr vm_backend(const QString& data_dir);
 logging::Logger::UPtr make_logger(logging::Level level);
 UpdatePrompt::UPtr make_update_prompt();
 std::unique_ptr<Process> make_sshfs_server_process(const SSHFSServerConfig& config);

diff --git a/include/multipass/ssh/openssh_key_provider.h b/include/multipass/ssh/openssh_key_provider.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <multipass/path.h>
+#include <QString>
 #include <multipass/ssh/ssh_key_provider.h>
 
 #include <QDir>
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class OpenSSHKeyProvider : public SSHKeyProvider
     };
     using KeyUPtr = std::unique_ptr<ssh_key_struct, KeyDeleter>;
 
-    OpenSSHKeyProvider(const Path& cache_dir);
+    OpenSSHKeyProvider(const QString& cache_dir);
     std::string private_key_as_base64() const override;
     std::string public_key_as_base64() const override;
     ssh_key private_key() const override;

diff --git a/include/multipass/ssl_cert_provider.h b/include/multipass/ssl_cert_provider.h
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <QString>
 #include <multipass/cert_provider.h>
-#include <multipass/path.h>
 
 #include <string>
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class SSLCertProvider : public CertProvider
         std::string pem_priv_key;
     };
 
-    explicit SSLCertProvider(const Path& data_dir, const std::string& server_name = "");
+    explicit SSLCertProvider(const QString& data_dir, const std::string& server_name = "");
     // leave server_name empty for clients; choose a (non-empty) name for servers.
 
     std::string PEM_certificate() const override;

diff --git a/include/multipass/url_downloader.h b/include/multipass/url_downloader.h
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "disabled_copy_move.h"
-#include "path.h"
 #include "progress_monitor.h"
 #include "singleton.h"
 
 #include <QByteArray>
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include <QNetworkAccessManager>
+#include <QString>
 
 #include <atomic>
 #include <chrono>
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ class NetworkManagerFactory : public Singleton<NetworkManagerFactory>
     NetworkManagerFactory(const Singleton<NetworkManagerFactory>::PrivatePass&) noexcept;
 
     virtual std::unique_ptr<QNetworkAccessManager> make_network_manager(
-        const Path& cache_dir_path) const;
+        const QString& cache_dir_path) const;
 };
 
 class URLDownloader : private DisabledCopyMove
 {
 public:
     URLDownloader(std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
-    URLDownloader(const Path& cache_dir, std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
+    URLDownloader(const QString& cache_dir, std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
     virtual ~URLDownloader() = default;
 
     // Note: All http urls are converted to https
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class URLDownloader : private DisabledCopyMove
     std::atomic_bool abort_downloads{false};
 
 private:
-    const Path cache_dir_path;
+    const QString cache_dir_path;
     std::chrono::milliseconds timeout;
 };
 } // namespace multipass
diff --git a/include/multipass/utils.h b/include/multipass/utils.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #include <multipass/logging/level.h>
 #include <multipass/network_interface_info.h>
-#include <multipass/path.h>
 #include <multipass/singleton.h>
 #include <multipass/ssh/ssh_session.h>
 #include <multipass/virtual_machine.h>
@@ -66,8 +65,8 @@ enum class TimeoutAction
 // filesystem and path helpers
 QDir base_dir(const QString& path);
 bool is_dir(const std::string& path);
-QString backend_directory_path(const Path& path, const QString& subdirectory);
-std::string contents_of(const multipass::Path& file_path);
+QString backend_directory_path(const QString& path, const QString& subdirectory);
+std::string contents_of(const QString& file_path);
 bool invalid_target_path(const QString& target_path);
 
 // filesystem mount helpers
@@ -213,15 +212,17 @@ class Utils : public Singleton<Utils>
 
     virtual qint64 filesystem_bytes_available(const QString& data_directory) const;
     virtual void exit(int code) const;
-    virtual std::string contents_of(const multipass::Path& file_path) const;
+    virtual std::string contents_of(const QString& file_path) const;
     virtual void make_file_with_content(const std::string& file_name,
                                         const std::string& content,
                                         const bool& overwrite = false);
-    virtual Path make_dir(const QDir& a_dir,
-                          const QString& name,
-                          std::filesystem::perms permissions = std::filesystem::perms::none) const;
-    virtual Path make_dir(const QDir& dir,
-                          std::filesystem::perms permissions = std::filesystem::perms::none) const;
+    virtual QString make_dir(
+        const QDir& a_dir,
+        const QString& name,
+        std::filesystem::perms permissions = std::filesystem::perms::none) const;
+    virtual QString make_dir(
+        const QDir& dir,
+        std::filesystem::perms permissions = std::filesystem::perms::none) const;
 
     // command and process helpers
     virtual std::string run_cmd_for_output(const QString& cmd,
@@ -231,9 +232,9 @@ class Utils : public Singleton<Utils>
                                     const QStringList& args,
                                     const int timeout = 30000) const;
 
-    virtual Path derive_instances_dir(const Path& data_dir,
-                                      const Path& backend_directory_name,
-                                      const Path& instances_subdir) const;
+    virtual QString derive_instances_dir(const QString& data_dir,
+                                         const QString& backend_directory_name,
+                                         const QString& instances_subdir) const;
 
     // system info helpers
     virtual std::string get_kernel_version() const;
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ class Utils : public Singleton<Utils>
     virtual void sleep_for(const std::chrono::milliseconds& ms) const;
     virtual bool is_ipv4_valid(const std::string& ipv4) const;
 
-    virtual Path default_mount_target(const Path& source) const;
+    virtual QString default_mount_target(const QString& source) const;
 };
 } // namespace multipass
 

diff --git a/include/multipass/virtual_machine.h b/include/multipass/virtual_machine.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #include "disabled_copy_move.h"
 #include "ip_address.h"
 #include "network_interface.h"
-#include "path.h"
+#include <QString>
 
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QJsonObject>
@@ -136,9 +136,9 @@ class VirtualMachine : private DisabledCopyMove
 
     VirtualMachine(VirtualMachine::State state,
                    const std::string& vm_name,
-                   const Path& instance_dir)
+                   const QString& instance_dir)
         : state{state}, vm_name{vm_name}, instance_dir{QDir{instance_dir}} {};
-    VirtualMachine(const std::string& vm_name, const Path& instance_dir)
+    VirtualMachine(const std::string& vm_name, const QString& instance_dir)
         : VirtualMachine(State::off, vm_name, instance_dir){};
 };
 } // namespace multipass

diff --git a/include/multipass/virtual_machine_description.h b/include/multipass/virtual_machine_description.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class VirtualMachineDescription
     std::vector<NetworkInterface> extra_interfaces;
     std::string ssh_username;
     VMImage image;
-    Path cloud_init_iso;
+    QString cloud_init_iso;
     YAML::Node meta_data_config;
     YAML::Node user_data_config;
     YAML::Node vendor_data_config;

diff --git a/include/multipass/virtual_machine_factory.h b/include/multipass/virtual_machine_factory.h
@@ -20,11 +20,12 @@
 #include "days.h"
 #include "disabled_copy_move.h"
 #include "fetch_type.h"
-#include "path.h"
 #include "virtual_machine.h"
 #include "vm_image.h"
 #include "vm_image_vault.h"
 
+#include <QString>
+
 namespace YAML
 {
 class Node;
@@ -70,12 +71,12 @@ class VirtualMachineFactory : private DisabledCopyMove
                                         const VirtualMachineDescription& desc) = 0;
     virtual void hypervisor_health_check() = 0;
     virtual QString get_backend_directory_name() const = 0;
-    virtual Path get_instance_directory(const std::string& name) const = 0;
+    virtual QString get_instance_directory(const std::string& name) const = 0;
     virtual QString get_backend_version_string() const = 0;
     virtual VMImageVault::UPtr create_image_vault(std::vector<VMImageHost*> image_hosts,
                                                   URLDownloader* downloader,
-                                                  const Path& cache_dir_path,
-                                                  const Path& data_dir_path,
+                                                  const QString& cache_dir_path,
+                                                  const QString& data_dir_path,
                                                   const days& days_to_expire) = 0;
     virtual void configure(VirtualMachineDescription& vm_desc) = 0;
 

diff --git a/include/multipass/vm_image.h b/include/multipass/vm_image.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <multipass/path.h>
+#include <QString>
 
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace multipass
 class VMImage
 {
 public:
-    Path image_path;
+    QString image_path;
     std::string id;
     std::string original_release;
     std::string current_release;

diff --git a/include/multipass/vm_image_vault.h b/include/multipass/vm_image_vault.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include "disabled_copy_move.h"
 #include "fetch_type.h"
 #include "memory_size.h"
-#include "path.h"
 #include "progress_monitor.h"
 #include "vm_image_info.h"
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ namespace vault
 class DeleteOnException
 {
 public:
-    explicit DeleteOnException(const Path& path) : file(path)
+    explicit DeleteOnException(const QString& path) : file(path)
     {
     }
     ~DeleteOnException()
@@ -75,7 +74,7 @@ class VMImageVault : private DisabledCopyMove
                                 const PrepareAction& prepare,
                                 const ProgressMonitor& monitor,
                                 const std::optional<std::string>& checksum,
-                                const Path& save_dir) = 0;
+                                const QString& save_dir) = 0;
     virtual void remove(const std::string& name) = 0;
     virtual bool has_record_for(const std::string& name) = 0;
     virtual void prune_expired_images() = 0;

diff --git a/include/multipass/xz_image_decoder.h b/include/multipass/xz_image_decoder.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <multipass/path.h>
+#include <QString>
 #include <multipass/progress_monitor.h>
 
 #include <memory>
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ class XzImageDecoder
 public:
     XzImageDecoder();
 
-    void decode_to(const Path& xz_file_path,
-                   const Path& decoded_file_path,
+    void decode_to(const QString& xz_file_path,
+                   const QString& decoded_file_path,
                    const ProgressMonitor& monitor) const;
 
     using XzDecoderUPtr = std::unique_ptr<xz_dec, decltype(xz_dec_end)*>;

diff --git a/src/cert/client_cert_store.cpp b/src/cert/client_cert_store.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ auto load_certs_from_file(const QDir& cert_dir)
 }
 } // namespace
 
-mp::ClientCertStore::ClientCertStore(const multipass::Path& data_dir)
+mp::ClientCertStore::ClientCertStore(const QString& data_dir)
     : cert_dir(MP_UTILS.make_dir(data_dir, mp::authenticated_certs_dir)),
       authenticated_client_certs{load_certs_from_file(cert_dir)}
 {

diff --git a/src/cert/ssl_cert_provider.cpp b/src/cert/ssl_cert_provider.cpp
@@ -393,9 +393,8 @@ mp::SSLCertProvider::KeyCertificatePair make_cert_key_pair(const QDir& cert_dir,
 }
 } // namespace
 
-mp::SSLCertProvider::SSLCertProvider(const multipass::Path& cert_dir,
-                                     const std::string& server_name)
-    : key_cert_pair{make_cert_key_pair(cert_dir, server_name)}
+mp::SSLCertProvider::SSLCertProvider(const QString& cert_dir, const std::string& server_name)
+    : key_cert_pair{make_cert_key_pair(QDir(cert_dir), server_name)}
 {
 }
 

diff --git a/src/daemon/daemon.cpp b/src/daemon/daemon.cpp
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ auto name_from(const std::string& requested_name,
     }
 }
 
-std::unordered_map<std::string, mp::VMSpecs> load_db(const mp::Path& data_path,
-                                                     const mp::Path& cache_path)
+std::unordered_map<std::string, mp::VMSpecs> load_db(const QString& data_path,
+                                                     const QString& cache_path)
 {
     QDir data_dir{data_path};
     QDir cache_dir{cache_path};
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ mp::InstanceStatus::Status grpc_instance_status_for(const mp::VirtualMachine::St
 // than or equal than the size of the image.
 mp::MemorySize compute_final_image_size(const mp::MemorySize image_size,
                                         std::optional<mp::MemorySize> command_line_value,
-                                        mp::Path data_directory)
+                                        QString data_directory)
 {
     mp::MemorySize disk_space{};