On-demand computers for coding agents.

Crabbox gives agents and humans a computer to run tests, builds, and UI checks while they keep editing locally. Choose a cloud box, a local VM or container, or a machine you already own.

Quick start · Commands · Any OS · Desktop and browser · Providers · Install · Docs

With your provider and project dependencies configured:

crabbox run -- pnpm test

1. Lease a box and sync your working tree, including uncommitted changes.
2. Run pnpm test there and stream the output back to your terminal.
3. Return the command's exit code and release the one-shot box.

Why Crabbox?

• More agents, less contention. Give concurrent work separate cloud boxes

• A faster edit–test loop. Keep prepared boxes warm, reuse installed

• Test across operating systems. Target Linux, macOS, native Windows, or

• See and drive the result. Open a desktop with VNC or WebVNC, run a browser,

• Share capacity with a team. The optional coordinator keeps cloud credentials

Capabilities vary by provider. Crabbox supplies computers and execution evidence; your agent or harness decides what to run and what the result means.

Quick start

0. Install

On macOS or Linux with Homebrew:

brew install openclaw/tap/crabbox
crabbox --version

On Linux without Homebrew, extract a release archive and keep crabbox-runtime/ beside the crabbox executable (use arch=arm64 on ARM):

v=0.81.0 arch=amd64
curl -fLO "https://github.com/openclaw/crabbox/releases/download/v$v/crabbox_${v}_linux_${arch}.tar.gz"
curl -fLO "https://github.com/openclaw/crabbox/releases/download/v$v/checksums.txt"
sha256sum -c checksums.txt --ignore-missing
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/crabbox
tar -xzf "crabbox_${v}_linux_${arch}.tar.gz" -C ~/.local/share/crabbox
export PATH="$HOME/.local/share/crabbox:$PATH"
crabbox --version

GNU tar may warn about LIBARCHIVE.xattr.com.apple.provenance headers; they are harmless. See Install for Windows and other options.

1. Try a local box

Start Docker or Podman and make sure git, ssh, ssh-keygen, and rsync are on your PATH (Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install -y git openssh-client rsync). Then enter a Git repository you trust. No cloud account or coordinator login is needed:

crabbox doctor --provider local-container
crabbox run --provider local-container -- uname -a

You should see Linux kernel information, followed by cleanup of the one-shot container. First startup includes an image pull and bootstrap. On images with apt-get, missing sshd, git, rsync, curl, sudo, or python3 triggers installation of those tools and CA certificates, so the container needs internet access. For offline or locked-down engines, pass --local-container-image with an image that already has those tools. The box has Crabbox's sync/run prerequisites; supply your project's runtime and dependencies.

2. Run a project's tests

For a Node.js repository with a package-lock.json and an npm test script:

crabbox run --provider local-container \
  --local-container-image node:22-bookworm \
  --shell 'npm ci && npm test'

Choose an image compatible with your project. For remote boxes, use a prepared image, repository setup scripts, or Actions hydration. Dependency and build directories are excluded from normal workspace sync.

3. Reuse a box while you iterate

crabbox warmup --provider local-container --slug dev-box
crabbox run --provider local-container --id dev-box -- uname -a
Edit locally, then run again with the same --id.
Open a shell, or release the box when finished.
crabbox connect --provider local-container --id dev-box
crabbox stop --provider local-container dev-box

Replace uname -a with your test command once the box is prepared. warmup keeps a reusable lease; prewarm also performs Actions hydration. Use the printed cbx_... ID or friendly slug to select it. Each agent can keep its own lease and working directory.

Already have a team coordinator?

Use your team's URL in place of this example:

crabbox login --url https://broker.example.com
crabbox doctor
crabbox run -- pnpm test

The repository must select a provider and prepare its remote runtime and dependencies. For your own cloud account, follow a provider guide and skip coordinator login. Cloud capacity is billed by the provider; choose machine sizes deliberately.

Getting started · Local Container

Everyday commands

| Command | What it does | | --- | --- | | crabbox doctor | Check prerequisites, configuration, and provider reachability. | | crabbox providers --json | Discover providers, targets, and capabilities. | | crabbox run -- | Lease, sync, run, stream output, and release. | | crabbox run --shell ' Chat with me