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Alternatives

OpenShell alternatives

Answer in brief

The 6 alternatives below are grouped by kind of sandbox, and each says what it does differently from OpenShell. Start from whatever made you look: missing GPUs, session limits, self-hosting, pricing or isolation.

By the Agent Sandboxes editors · Updated

Why teams look beyond OpenShell

The right choice when the question is "what can this agent reach" rather than "how fast can I boot a VM".

  • Default runtime is a container; VM-level isolation depends on the VM or microVM backend
  • No snapshots, pause/resume or persistence features; sandboxes are recreated to change filesystem or process policy
  • Windows support is experimental via WSL 2
  • Primarily a policy and runtime layer for agents, not a sandbox API for arbitrary code execution from your application

OpenShell alternatives, by kind

Open-source runtimes to self-host

Open-source sandbox runtimes you run on your own servers or Kubernetes.

  • OpenSandbox

    Apache-2.0 sandbox runtime for agents that starts on Docker, scales on Kubernetes and offers a Firecracker "Fast Sandbox" with pause/resume.

    • Containers or Firecracker
    • Open source
    • Self-hostable
    • Pause/resume

    How it differs: Teams that want an open, multi-language sandbox API they can run from a laptop Docker daemon up to a Kubernetes cluster. The most broadly supported open sandbox API of this batch, with real microVM isolation available once you are on Kubernetes.

    Full profile →OpenSandbox alternativesWebsite ↗

Isolation primitives and runtimes

The hypervisors, user-space kernels, OS sandboxes and WebAssembly runtimes that sandbox platforms build on.

  • bubblewrap

    The unprivileged Linux namespace sandboxer behind Flatpak and Anthropic's sandbox runtime; you assemble the policy from command-line flags.

    • Linux namespaces
    • Open source
    • Self-hostable

    How it differs: Lightweight process sandboxing on Linux where you control the policy and do not need a kernel boundary. The right primitive for a laptop or CI sandbox on Linux when you can write the policy yourself; not a substitute for a VM.

    Full profile →bubblewrap alternativesWebsite ↗

Local sandboxes for coding agents

Isolation for agents like Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI on your own laptop.

  • Anthropic Sandbox Runtime

    Open-source CLI and library (`srt`) that restricts filesystem and network access for any local process at the OS level, without a container or VM.

    • OS-level (Seatbelt / bubblewrap)
    • Open source
    • Self-hostable

    How it differs: Lightweight local sandboxing of coding agents and CLI tools. Excellent lightweight guardrail for local agents; pair with a VM for untrusted multi-tenant code.

    Full profile →Website ↗

  • Docker Sandboxes

    Docker’s `sbx` CLI for running AI coding agents in microVM sandboxes on your machine, with an experimental Docker-hosted cloud.

    • MicroVM
    • Self-hostable
    • GPU
    • Pause/resume

    How it differs: Running coding agents unsupervised on a laptop with microVM isolation. The easiest way to give local coding agents a real microVM boundary.

    Full profile →Website ↗

  • Gemini CLI sandboxing

    Gemini CLI's built-in sandbox: macOS Seatbelt profiles or a Docker/Podman container around the agent's tool calls, with gVisor, LXC and a Windows option.

    • Seatbelt or container
    • Open source

    How it differs: Confining Gemini CLI tool execution on a developer machine using built-in OS or container sandboxing. Adequate built-in confinement for Gemini CLI users; it is a feature of the CLI rather than a general sandbox.

    Full profile →Gemini CLI sandboxing alternativesWebsite ↗

  • nono

    Kernel-enforced OS-native sandbox for coding agents that runs each tool call in its own ephemeral sandbox, brokers credentials and keeps a tamper-evident audit chain.

    • Landlock / Seatbelt
    • Open source
    • Snapshots

    How it differs: Running Claude Code, Codex and other coding agents on your own machine with kernel-enforced file and network allow-lists and brokered credentials. A strong choice for per-tool-call policy and credential brokering around local coding agents, provided OS-level isolation is enough for your threat model.

    Full profile →nono alternativesWebsite ↗

OpenShell vs alternatives

SandboxIsolationOpen sourceSelf-host / BYOCCold start (vendor)Max sessionSnapshots / pauseGPUSDKs
OpenShellLandlock/seccomp in container or VMYesYes / NoNot documentedNot documentedNo / NoNot documentedPython, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, Rust, CLI
Anthropic Sandbox RuntimeOS-level (Seatbelt / bubblewrap)YesYes / Not documentedProcess startNot documentedNo / NoNot documentedCLI (srt), TypeScript (npm)
bubblewrapLinux namespacesYesYes / NoNot documentedNot documentedNo / NoNot documentedCLI
Docker SandboxesMicroVMNoYes / NoNot documentedUntil removed (local)Yes / YesYessbx CLI, TypeScript (cloud), REST API (cloud)
Gemini CLI sandboxingSeatbelt or containerYesNo / NoNot documentedNot documentedNo / Not documentedNot documentedCLI
nonoLandlock / SeatbeltYesNo / NoNot documentedNot documentedYes / Not documentedNot documentedCLI, Rust, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go
OpenSandboxContainers or FirecrackerYesYes / No64 ms P50 (claimed)Not documentedNot documented / YesNot documentedPython, JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, Kotlin, Go, C#, CLI, MCP server, REST API

Frequently asked questions

What are the main alternatives to OpenShell?
Anthropic Sandbox Runtime, bubblewrap, Docker Sandboxes, Gemini CLI sandboxing, nono, OpenSandbox. Which one fits depends on what you need that OpenShell does not offer; each entry above explains how it differs.
Is there an open-source alternative to OpenShell?

Cite this page

Agent Sandboxes. (2026). OpenShell alternatives. agentsandboxes.org. Last reviewed November 9, 2026. https://agentsandboxes.org/alternatives/nvidia-openshell/

Found an error or a missing sandbox? Submit a correction — every entry links to the sources it relies on.