What is an agent computer? Sandbox vs Computer vs VPS
An agent computer is a persistent, isolated machine that an AI agent owns. It differs from a short-lived code sandbox and from a VPS that you run and maintain yourself.
Agent computers explained
What an agent computer is, how it differs from a sandbox or a VPS, and what it keeps between sessions.
Guides in this section
Persistent vs ephemeral sandboxes for AI agents: which do I need?
Use an ephemeral sandbox for one-shot code execution. Use a persistent computer when the agent must keep files, packages, browser logins or services between sessions.
What survives when an agent's computer stops?
On Sanbox, a stop keeps the disk: /workspace, installed packages, Docker images and the browser profile. RAM, running processes, connections and exec commands end.
Container, microVM or VM: which isolation for coding agents?
Containers share the host kernel. MicroVMs such as Firecracker give each workload its own kernel behind hardware virtualisation. Full VMs do too, with more weight.