Cloudflare Sandbox

Cloudflare Sandboxes SDK

Status: Production Ready (Open Beta) Last Updated: 2025-12-10 Dependencies: cloudflare-worker-base, cloudflare-durable-objects (recommended for understanding) Latest Versions: @cloudflare/sandbox@0.6.3, Docker image: cloudflare/sandbox:0.6.3-python

⚠️ BREAKING CHANGE (v0.6.0): Python is no longer included in the default image. Use cloudflare/sandbox:<version>-python for Python support (1.3GB with data science packages). The lean variant (600-800MB) excludes Python.

Quick Start (15 Minutes)

1. Install SDK and Setup Wrangler

bun add @cloudflare/sandbox@latest  # preferred
# or: bun add @cloudflare/sandbox@latest

wrangler.jsonc:

{
  "name": "my-sandbox-worker",
  "main": "src/index.ts",
  "compatibility_flags": ["nodejs_compat"],
  "containers": [{
    "class_name": "Sandbox",
    "image": "cloudflare/sandbox:0.6.3-python",
    "instance_type": "lite"
  }],
  "durable_objects": {
    "bindings": [{
      "class_name": "Sandbox",
      "name": "Sandbox"
    }]
  },
  "migrations": [{
    "tag": "v1",
    "new_sqlite_classes": ["Sandbox"]
  }]
}

Why this matters:

• nodejs_compat enables Node.js APIs required by SDK
• containers defines the Ubuntu container image
• durable_objects binding enables persistent routing
• migrations registers the Sandbox class

2. Create Your First Sandbox Worker

import { getSandbox, type Sandbox } from '@cloudflare/sandbox';
export { Sandbox } from '@cloudflare/sandbox';

type Env = {
  Sandbox: DurableObjectNamespace<Sandbox>;
};

export default {
  async fetch(request: Request, env: Env): Promise<Response> {
    // Get sandbox instance (creates if doesn't exist)
    const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, 'my-first-sandbox');

    // Execute Python code
    const result = await sandbox.exec('python3 -c "print(2 + 2)"');

    return Response.json({
      output: result.stdout,
      success: result.success,
      exitCode: result.exitCode
    });
  }
};

CRITICAL:

• MUST export { Sandbox } from @cloudflare/sandbox in your Worker
• Sandbox ID determines routing (same ID = same container)
• First request creates container (~2-3 min cold start)
• Subsequent requests are fast (<1s)

3. Deploy and Test

npm run deploy
curl https://your-worker.workers.dev

Expected output:

{
  "output": "4\n",
  "success": true,
  "exitCode": 0
}

Architecture (Understanding the 3-Layer Model)

How Sandboxes Work

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Your Worker (Layer 1)                  │
│  - Handles HTTP requests                │
│  - Calls getSandbox()                   │
│  - Uses sandbox.exec(), writeFile(), etc│
└──────────────┬──────────────────────────┘
               │ RPC via Durable Object
┌──────────────▼──────────────────────────┐
│  Durable Object (Layer 2)               │
│  - Routes by sandbox ID                 │
│  - Maintains persistent identity        │
│  - Geographic stickiness                │
└──────────────┬──────────────────────────┘
               │ Container API
┌──────────────▼──────────────────────────┐
│  Ubuntu Container (Layer 3)             │
│  - Full Linux environment               │
│  - Python 3.11, Node 20, Git, etc.      │
│  - Filesystem: /workspace, /tmp, /home  │
│  - Process isolation (VM-based)         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Insight: Workers handle API logic (fast), Durable Objects route requests (persistent identity), Containers execute code (full capabilities).

Critical Container Lifecycle (Most Important Section!)

Container States

┌─────────┐  First request  ┌────────┐  ~10 min idle  ┌──────┐
│ Not     │ ───────────────>│ Active │ ─────────────> │ Idle │
│ Created │                 │        │                │      │
└─────────┘                 └───┬────┘                └──┬───┘
                                │ ^                      │
                                │ │ New request          │
                                │ └──────────────────────┘
                                │                         │
                                ▼                         ▼
                            Files persist          ALL FILES DELETED
                            Processes run          ALL PROCESSES KILLED
                            State maintained       ALL STATE RESET

The #1 Gotcha: Ephemeral by Default

While Container is Active (~10 min after last request):

• ✅ Files in /workspace, /tmp, /home persist
• ✅ Background processes keep running
• ✅ Shell environment variables remain
• ✅ Session working directories preserved

When Container Goes Idle (after inactivity):

• ❌ ALL files deleted (entire filesystem reset)
• ❌ ALL processes terminated
• ❌ ALL shell state lost
• ⚠️ Next request creates fresh container from scratch

This is NOT like a traditional server. Sandboxes are ephemeral by design.

Handling Persistence

For Important Data: Use external storage

// Save to R2 before container goes idle
await sandbox.writeFile('/workspace/data.txt', content);
const fileData = await sandbox.readFile('/workspace/data.txt');
await env.R2.put('backup/data.txt', fileData);

// Restore on next request
const restored = await env.R2.get('backup/data.txt');
if (restored) {
  await sandbox.writeFile('/workspace/data.txt', await restored.text());
}

For Build Artifacts: Accept ephemerality or use caching

// Check if setup needed (handles cold starts)
const exists = await sandbox.readdir('/workspace/project').catch(() => null);
if (!exists) {
  await sandbox.gitCheckout(repoUrl, '/workspace/project');
  await sandbox.exec('npm install', { cwd: '/workspace/project' });
}
// Now safe to run build
await sandbox.exec('npm run build', { cwd: '/workspace/project' });

Session Management (Game-Changer for Chat Agents)

What Are Sessions?

Sessions are bash shell contexts within one sandbox. Think terminal tabs.

Key Properties:

• Each session has separate working directory
• Sessions share same filesystem
• Working directory persists across commands in same session
• Perfect for multi-step workflows

Pattern: Chat-Based Coding Agent

type ConversationState = {
  sandboxId: string;
  sessionId: string;
};

// First message: Create sandbox and session
const sandboxId = `user-${userId}`;
const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, sandboxId);
const sessionId = await sandbox.createSession();

// Store in conversation state (database, KV, etc.)
await env.KV.put(`conversation:${conversationId}`, JSON.stringify({
  sandboxId,
  sessionId
}));

// Later messages: Reuse same session
const state = await env.KV.get(`conversation:${conversationId}`);
const { sandboxId, sessionId } = JSON.parse(state);
const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, sandboxId);

// Commands run in same context
await sandbox.exec('cd /workspace/project', { session: sessionId });
await sandbox.exec('ls -la', { session: sessionId }); // Still in /workspace/project
await sandbox.exec('git status', { session: sessionId }); // Still in /workspace/project

Without Sessions (Common Mistake)

// ❌ WRONG: Each command runs in separate session
await sandbox.exec('cd /workspace/project');
await sandbox.exec('ls'); // NOT in /workspace/project (different session)

Pattern: Parallel Execution

const session1 = await sandbox.createSession();
const session2 = await sandbox.createSession();

// Run different tasks simultaneously
await Promise.all([
  sandbox.exec('python train_model.py', { session: session1 }),
  sandbox.exec('node generate_reports.js', { session: session2 })
]);

Sandbox Naming Strategies

Per-User Sandboxes (Persistent Workspace)

const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, `user-${userId}`);

Pros: User's work persists while actively using (10 min idle time) Cons: Geographic lock-in (first request determines location) Use Cases: Interactive notebooks, IDEs, persistent workspaces

Per-Session Sandboxes (Fresh Each Time)

const sandboxId = `session-${Date.now()}-${crypto.randomUUID()}`;
const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, sandboxId);
// Always destroy after use
await sandbox.destroy();

Pros: Clean environment, no state pollution Cons: No persistence between requests Use Cases: One-shot code execution, CI/CD, testing

Per-Task Sandboxes (Idempotent & Traceable)

const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, `build-${repoName}-${commitSha}`);

Pros: Reproducible, debuggable, cacheable Cons: Need explicit cleanup strategy Use Cases: Build systems, data pipelines, automated workflows

Core API Reference

The Sandbox SDK provides methods for command execution, file operations, Git operations, code interpretation (Jupyter-like), background processes, and cleanup.

📖 Load references/api-reference.md when you need detailed API method signatures, parameter options, or implementation examples for:

• Executing commands with options (cwd, timeout, env vars, sessions)
• File operations (read/write/mkdir/rm/readdir)
• Git operations (gitCheckout, git commands)
• Code interpreter (createCodeContext, runCode)
• Background processes (spawn, isProcessRunning, killProcess)
• Sandbox cleanup (destroy)

Critical Rules

Always Do

✅ Check exit codes - if (!result.success) { handle error } ✅ Use sessions for multi-step workflows - Preserve working directory ✅ Handle cold starts - Check if files exist before assuming they're there ✅ Set timeouts - Prevent hanging on long operations ✅ Destroy ephemeral sandboxes - Cleanup temp/session-based sandboxes ✅ Use external storage for persistence - R2/KV/D1 for important data ✅ Validate user input - Sanitize before exec() to prevent command injection ✅ Export Sandbox class - export { Sandbox } from '@cloudflare/sandbox'

Never Do

❌ Assume files persist after idle - Container resets after ~10 min ❌ Ignore exit codes - Always check result.success or result.exitCode ❌ Chain commands without sessions - cd /dir then ls won't work ❌ Execute unsanitized user input - Use code interpreter or validate thoroughly ❌ Forget nodejs_compat flag - Required in wrangler.jsonc ❌ Skip migrations - Durable Objects need migration entries ❌ Use .workers.dev for preview URLs - Need custom domain ❌ Create unlimited sandboxes - Destroy ephemeral ones to avoid leaks

Known Issues Prevention

This skill prevents 10 documented issues:

Issue #1: Missing nodejs_compat Flag

Error: ReferenceError: fetch is not defined or Buffer is not defined Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/get-started/ Why It Happens: SDK requires Node.js APIs not available in standard Workers Prevention: Add "compatibility_flags": ["nodejs_compat"] to wrangler.jsonc

Issue #2: Missing Migrations

Error: Error: Class 'Sandbox' not found Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/durable-objects/ Why It Happens: Durable Objects must be registered via migrations Prevention: Include migrations array in wrangler.jsonc

Issue #3: Assuming File Persistence

Error: Files disappear after inactivity Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/concepts/sandboxes/ Why It Happens: Containers go idle after ~10 min, all state reset Prevention: Use external storage (R2/KV) or check existence on each request

Issue #4: Session Directory Confusion

Error: Commands execute in wrong directory Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/concepts/sessions/ Why It Happens: Each exec() uses new session unless explicitly specified Prevention: Create session with createSession(), pass to all related commands

Issue #5: Ignoring Exit Codes

Error: Assuming command succeeded when it failed Source: Shell best practices Why It Happens: Not checking result.success or result.exitCode Prevention: Always check: if (!result.success) throw new Error(result.stderr)

Issue #6: Not Handling Cold Starts

Error: Commands fail because dependencies aren't installed Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/concepts/sandboxes/ Why It Happens: Container resets after idle period Prevention: Check if setup needed before running commands

Issue #7: Docker Not Running (Local Dev)

Error: Failed to build container during local development Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/get-started/ Why It Happens: Local dev requires Docker daemon Prevention: Ensure Docker Desktop is running before npm run dev

Issue #8: Version Mismatch (Package vs Docker Image)

Error: API methods not available or behaving unexpectedly Source: GitHub issues Why It Happens: npm package version doesn't match Docker image version Prevention: Keep @cloudflare/sandbox package and cloudflare/sandbox image in sync

Issue #9: Not Cleaning Up Ephemeral Sandboxes

Error: Resource exhaustion, unexpected costs Source: Resource management best practices Why It Happens: Creating sandboxes without destroying them Prevention: await sandbox.destroy() in finally block for temp sandboxes

Issue #10: Command Injection Vulnerability

Error: Security breach from unsanitized user input Source: Security best practices Why It Happens: Passing user input directly to exec() Prevention: Use code interpreter API or validate/sanitize input thoroughly

wrangler.jsonc Example

{
  "name": "my-sandbox-app",
  "main": "src/index.ts",
  "compatibility_date": "2025-10-29",
  "compatibility_flags": ["nodejs_compat"], // ← REQUIRED

  "containers": [{
    "class_name": "Sandbox",
    "image": "cloudflare/sandbox:0.6.3-python", // ← Use -python for Python support
    "instance_type": "lite"
  }],

  "durable_objects": {
    "bindings": [{"class_name": "Sandbox", "name": "Sandbox"}]
  },

  "migrations": [{
    "tag": "v1",
    "new_sqlite_classes": ["Sandbox"]
  }]
}

Common Patterns

Four production-ready patterns for building with Cloudflare Sandboxes: one-shot code execution, persistent user workspaces, CI/CD pipelines, and AI agent integration.

📖 Load references/patterns.md when you need complete implementation examples for:

1. One-Shot Code Execution - API endpoints, code playgrounds, learning platforms
2. Persistent User Workspace - Interactive environments, notebooks, IDEs
3. CI/CD Build Pipeline - Build systems, testing pipelines, deployment automation
4. AI Agent with Claude Code - Automated refactoring, code generation, AI development

Using Bundled Resources

Scripts (scripts/)

• setup-sandbox-binding.sh - Interactive wrangler.jsonc configuration
• test-sandbox.ts - Validation script to test sandbox setup

Example Usage:

# Setup wrangler config
./scripts/setup-sandbox-binding.sh

# Test sandbox
bunx tsx scripts/test-sandbox.ts

References (references/)

• references/persistence-guide.md - Deep dive on container lifecycle and persistence
• references/session-management.md - Advanced session patterns and best practices
• references/common-errors.md - Complete list of errors with solutions
• references/naming-strategies.md - Choosing sandbox IDs for different use cases

When Claude should load these:

• Load persistence-guide.md when debugging state issues or cold starts
• Load session-management.md when building multi-step workflows or chat agents
• Load common-errors.md when encountering specific errors
• Load naming-strategies.md when designing sandbox architecture

Advanced Topics

📖 Load references/advanced.md for production patterns:

• Geographic distribution strategies for global apps
• Error handling wrapper functions
• Security hardening and input validation

Official Resources

Package: @cloudflare/sandbox@0.6.3 | Docker: cloudflare/sandbox:0.6.3-python

Docs: Cloudflare Sandboxes | API Reference | GitHub SDK

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