A sandbox is an isolated execution environment where an agent can run code, read files, and invoke tools without affecting the host system.
The sandbox is the agent's blast radius. Whatever the agent does inside the sandbox stays inside the sandbox — until the operator explicitly lets something out.
Three properties of a useful sandbox:
- Isolation. Filesystem, network, and process boundaries between
the sandbox and the host.
- Inspectability. The operator can see what the agent did inside
the sandbox, after the fact, without re-running it.
- Bounded duration. The sandbox can be wiped and recreated
cheaply, so a misbehaving agent doesn't carry its mistakes forward.
Sandboxes are how long-running agents stay safe to leave alone. The agent has the power to do real work; the sandbox makes sure that work stays in the box.