CuaReference

Desktop Sandbox

Isolated desktop environments for Computer-Using Agents

Desktop sandbox environments provide isolated desktops for running Computer-Using Agents. Each environment includes a pre-installed computer-server for remote control via HTTP API.

Sandbox Options

macOS Sandbox

Native macOS virtual machines on Apple Silicon using Apple's Virtualization Framework. Near-native performance for macOS automation. Learn more →

  • Lume - Native CLI for VM management
  • Lumier - Docker wrapper for containerized deployments

Linux Container

Docker containers running Linux desktops. Fast startup, low resource usage. Learn more →

ContainerDescription
KasmKasmWeb-based Ubuntu with XFCE
XFCEVanilla XFCE, minimal dependencies

QEMU Container

Full virtual machines running in Docker via QEMU/KVM. Complete OS isolation, supports Windows. Learn more →

ContainerOSDescription
WindowsWindows 11Windows desktop with KVM
LinuxUbuntu 22.04Full Ubuntu VM
AndroidAndroid 11Android emulator

Quick Comparison

FeaturemacOS (Lume)Linux ContainerQEMU VM
PerformanceNear-nativeNativeVirtualized
Startup TimeMinutesSeconds30s-2min
Host RequirementsApple SiliconDockerKVM support
Windows SupportNoNoYes
Resource UsageMediumLowHigh
Memory SnapshotsYesNoYes
Filesystem SnapshotsYesYesYes

Snapshot Capabilities

macOS (Lume) and QEMU containers support full memory snapshots, allowing you to save and restore the complete VM state including running processes and memory contents. This is useful for creating checkpoints during long-running tasks or reverting to a known state.

Linux containers (Kasm, XFCE) only support filesystem snapshots via docker commit, which saves the disk state but not running processes or memory. The container must be restarted after restoring.

Common Access Points

All environments expose:

  • Computer Server API - HTTP API for automation (port 5000 or 8000)
  • VNC/noVNC - Visual desktop access via browser (port 6901 or 8006)

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