Self-host sandboxd
v0.3.22Open-source AI app builder with isolated sandboxes
- Stars
- 975
- CPU
- 2 vCPU
- RAM
- 4 GB
- Port
- 9000 (Control plane API (internal container port))
- Requires
- Docker Compose plugin, Docker Engine, Traefik
What is sandboxd?
sandboxd is an open-source AI application builder you run on your own hardware. It creates isolated containers for each project, each reachable through its own live preview link. Unused containers automatically pause and resume when needed. A browser-based console lets you chat with AI coding agents, edit files, review changes, and push to Git. A full REST API enables programmatic control. Supported agents include OpenCode (with a free tier) and Claude Code. You can start from a prompt, launch one of 80+ pre-packaged open-source apps, import a public Git repository, or use a framework starter. The stack is intentionally minimal: a Go control plane, Docker for containers, Traefik for routing, and SQLite for state — no Kubernetes or external database needed. Setup takes one command on Linux; macOS works through Docker Desktop. The code is MIT licensed with optional paid cloud tunneling and managed hosting services.
Should you self-host sandboxd?
sandboxd scores 57/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #32 of 125 in AI. It has 975 GitHub stars.
It shipped 5 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v0.3.22, came out on 12 October 2026. New versions land roughly every 3 weeks.
Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. It is MIT-licensed and written mostly in Go.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is OpenDesign (83/100, 104 542 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See sandboxd vs OpenDesign side by side.
Features
- AI Coding Agents
- App Store
- Credential injection proxy
- Encrypted secrets
- Git Integration
- gVisor supportOpt-in via SANDBOXD_RUNTIME=runsc
- In-place upgrades
- Isolated Sandboxes
- Live preview URLs
- One-command install
- REST API
- Runtime presets
- Snapshots and rollback
- Web ConsoleOptional — engine runs headless without it
sandboxd README
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