microsandbox

Microsandbox runs untrusted workloads inside fast, local microVMs: AI agents, user code, plugins, CI jobs, dev environments, scrapers, and automation.

• Hardware Isolation: Hardware-level isolation with microVM technology.
• Cross Platform: Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
• OCI Compatible: Runs standard container images from Docker Hub, GHCR, or any OCI registry.
• Docker-Like Workflows: Familiar image, command, shell, and volume workflows.
• Instant Startup: Average boot times¹ under 100 milliseconds.
• Embeddable: Spawn VMs right within your code. No setup server. No long-running daemon.
• Secrets That Can't Leak: Unexploitable secret keys that never enter the VM.
• Long-Running: Sandboxes can run in detached mode. Great for long-lived sessions.
• Agent-Ready: Your agents can create their own sandboxes with our Agent Skills and MCP server.

  Getting Started

  Install the SDK

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cargo add microsandbox                                   # 🦀 Rust

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uv add microsandbox                                      # 🐍 Python

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npm i microsandbox                                       # 🟦 TypeScript

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go get github.com/superradcompany/microsandbox/sdk/go    # 🐹 Go

  Install the CLI

Boot a microVM in a single command:

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npx microsandbox run debian

Or install the msb command globally:

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curl -fsSL https://install.microsandbox.dev | sh        # 🍎 macOS / 🐧 Linux

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irm https://install.microsandbox.dev/windows | iex      # 🪟 Windows

 We also support other package managers →

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brew install superradcompany/tap/microsandbox

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npm i -g microsandbox

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uv tool install microsandbox

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cargo install microsandbox

Then you can run msb directly:

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msb run debian

Requirements:

• macOS: Apple Silicon.
• Linux: KVM enabled.
• Windows: WHP enabled.

Warning: Microsandbox is still beta software. Expect breaking changes, missing features, and rough edges.

  SDK

The SDK lets you create and control sandboxes directly from your application. Sandbox::builder("...").create() boots a microVM as a child process. No infrastructure required.

  Run Code in a Sandbox

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use microsandbox::Sandbox;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let sandbox = Sandbox::builder("my-sandbox")
        .image("python")
        .cpus(1)
        .memory(512)
        .create()
        .await?;

    let output = sandbox
        .exec("python", ["-c", "print('Hello from a microVM!')"])
        .await?;

    println!("{}", output.stdout()?);

    sandbox.stop().await?;

    Ok(())
}

 Python Example →

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import asyncio
from microsandbox import Sandbox

async def main():
    sandbox = await Sandbox.create(
        "my-sandbox",
        image="python",
        cpus=1,
        memory=512,
    )

    output = await sandbox.exec("python", ["-c", "print('Hello from a microVM!')"])

    print(output.stdout_text)

    await sandbox.stop()

asyncio.run(main())

 TypeScript Example →

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import { Sandbox } from "microsandbox";

await using sandbox = await Sandbox.builder("my-sandbox")
  .image("python")
  .cpus(1)
  .memory(512)
  .create();

const output = await sandbox.exec("python", [
  "-c",
  "print('Hello from a microVM!')",
]);

console.log(output.stdout());

 Go Example →

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package main

import (
    "context"
    "fmt"
    "log"

    microsandbox "github.com/superradcompany/microsandbox/sdk/go"
)

func main() {
    ctx := context.Background()

    // Downloads the microsandbox runtime to ~/.microsandbox/ on first run.
    if err := microsandbox.EnsureInstalled(ctx); err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }

    sandbox, err := microsandbox.CreateSandbox(ctx, "my-sandbox",
        microsandbox.WithImage("python"),
        microsandbox.WithCPUs(1),
        microsandbox.WithMemory(512),
    )
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    defer sandbox.Stop(ctx)

    output, err := sandbox.Exec(ctx, "python", []string{"-c", "print('Hello from a microVM!')"})
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(output.Stdout())
}

The first call to create() pulls the image if it isn't cached locally, so it may take longer depending on your connection. Subsequent runs reuse the cache.

  CLI

The msb CLI provides a complete interface for managing sandboxes, images, and volumes.

  Run a Command

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msb run python -- python3 -c "print('Hello from a microVM!')"

  Named Sandboxes

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# Create and start a named sandbox
msb create --name app python

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# Execute commands
msb exec app -- python -c "import this"
msb exec app -- curl https://example.com

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# Lifecycle
msb stop app
msb start app
msb rm app

  Image Management

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msb pull python           # Pull an image
msb image ls              # List cached images
msb image rm python       # Remove an image

  Install & Uninstall Sandboxes

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msb install ubuntu               # Install ubuntu sandbox as 'ubuntu' command
ubuntu                           # Opens Ubuntu in a microVM
msb uninstall ubuntu             # Uninstall the ubuntu sandbox

  Status & Inspection

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msb ls                         # List all sandboxes
msb ps app                     # Show sandbox status
msb inspect app                # Detailed sandbox info
msb metrics app                # Live CPU/memory/network stats

[!TIP]

Run:
· msb --help for quick help menu.
· msb --tree for complete command hierarchy and descriptions.
· msb <command> --tree for a specific command tree.

  AI Agents

  Agent Skills

Teach any AI coding agent how to use microsandbox by installing the Agent Skills. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, and more.

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npx skills add superradcompany/skills

  MCP Server

Connect any MCP-compatible agent to microsandbox with the MCP server. Provides structured tool calls for sandbox lifecycle, command execution, filesystem access, volumes, and monitoring.

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# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport stdio microsandbox -- npx -y microsandbox-mcp

  Documentation

For guides, API references, and examples, visit the microsandbox documentation.

  Contributing

Interested in contributing to microsandbox? Check out our CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines and DEVELOPMENT.md for build, test, and release instructions.

  License

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.

  Acknowledgements

Special thanks to all our contributors, testers, and community members who help make microsandbox better every day! We'd like to thank the following projects and communities that made microsandbox possible: libkrun and smoltcp

Footnotes

1. Boot time refers to guest boot on an M1 machine. ↩