Read when:
- choosing a Crabbox provider for a repo or one-off command;
- debugging provider-specific provisioning, sync, or command execution;
- changing provider registration, flags, config, or backend behavior.
Every provider registers a backend with one of three kinds:
- SSH lease — Crabbox provisions or connects to an SSH-reachable box and owns the full lease lifecycle (warmup, sync, run, ssh, cleanup). Core does the rsync/command execution directly to the box over SSH.
- Delegated run — a sandbox or proof runner. The provider owns sync and command execution end to end; there is no SSH lease and no local rsync.
- Service control — Crabbox can inspect or stop a provider-owned service, but cannot execute arbitrary commands there.
Providers also differ by control plane and reachability:
- Brokered cloud —
aws,azure,daytona,gcp, andhetznercan run through the Crabbox coordinator on Cloudflare or Node/PostgreSQL. The coordinator owns cloud credentials, cost state, cleanup scheduling, and lease accounting. This is the normal shared-team path. Set withconfig set-brokerand a broker URL (CRABBOX_COORDINATOR). - Direct cloud — the same five providers without a configured broker, plus
cloud providers that never broker (e.g.
digitalocean,linode,vultr,proxmox,hostinger,runpod,namespace-devbox,namespace-instance,semaphore,sprites,exe-dev,morph). The CLI talks to the provider API itself and cleans up best-effort via provider labels. - Static SSH —
sshconnects to a preexisting machine you supply; no provisioning, no cleanup. - Local runtime —
local-containerstarts a labeled Linux container through a Docker-compatible local runtime (Docker Desktop, OrbStack, Colima),apple-containeruses Apple's nativecontainerruntime on Apple silicon macOS,apple-vmlaunches a headless Linux VM through Apple'sVirtualization.framework,multipasslaunches local Ubuntu VMs through Canonical Multipass,tartruns macOS VMs on Apple Silicon via Cirrus Labs tart, andhypervcreates local Windows VMs through Microsoft Hyper-V. - Delegated sandbox — managed sandbox/proof runners that execute remotely
without an SSH lease (e.g.
blaxel,e2b,modal,islo,cloudflare,cloudflare-sandbox,cloud-run-sandbox,azure-dynamic-sessions,docker-sandbox,smolvm).anthropic-sandbox-runtimeis the local macOS/Linux delegated-run exception: Anthropic'ssrtexecutes on the current machine while still owning sync/run policy end to end.windows-sandboxis the local Windows delegated-run exception.
Select a provider per command with --provider <name> (env CRABBOX_PROVIDER),
or set provider: <name> in config. Provider flags are registered before
command parsing, so provider-specific flags work even when that provider is not
the default. Most names accept aliases (listed below).
Provider auth belongs here, not in the Feature Reference. Use the matrix search
box with terms such as API key, token, broker, CLI login, SDK credentials, or a concrete environment variable name to find compatible
providers.
Remote providers with environment API-key or bearer-token auth include
digitalocean, linode, vultr, lambda, runpod, vast,
opencomputer, e2b, blaxel, codesandbox, cloudflare,
cloudflare-sandbox, cloudflare-dynamic-workers, cloud-run-sandbox,
crownest, freestyle, islo, morph, opensandbox, orgo, smolvm,
sprites, superserve, tensorlake, upstash-box, vercel-sandbox, wandb,
and service-control
providers such as railway, fastapi-cloud, and unikraft-cloud.
Brokerable providers (aws, azure, daytona, gcp, hetzner) can run with
coordinator-owned credentials, so normal users do not need local cloud secrets.
When those providers run direct, the CLI uses the provider's documented SDK,
CLI, or token source.
Keep provider tokens out of repository config and command-line arguments. Prefer environment variables, provider CLI login stores, OS keychains, or the Crabbox coordinator credential boundary.
This table combines the live provider spec compiled into the CLI with curated
selection metadata. Regenerate it with node scripts/generate-provider-matrix.mjs.
scripts/check-docs.sh fails when provider registration, metadata, docs paths, or
this generated table drift.
Current built-in surface: 81 providers (46 SSH lease, 31 delegated run, 4 service control).
Access terms:
- Crabbox-managed SSH: SSH uses Crabbox's normal client; the sync column shows whether run and sync use that data plane.
- Provider-specific SSH: an adapter-specific login helper, not the normal Crabbox data plane.
- No SSH: the provider owns command execution end to end.
| Provider | Status / category | Execution / access | Targets / substrate | Location / GPU | Lifecycle / cleanup | Best fit | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| agent-sandbox | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session, fixed-current-repo-stop |
linux; Kubernetes Agent Sandbox warm pool |
self-hosted; GPU: unknown |
Agent Sandbox SandboxClaim; owned SandboxClaim delete | Kubernetes-hosted delegated Linux execution | Requires kubectl, Agent Sandbox v0.5.0rc1 v1beta1 CRDs, a warm pool, explicit context, and RBAC |
anthropic-sandbox-runtime (srt) |
built-in; delegated-run · local-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: none |
linux, macos; Anthropic Sandbox Runtime process sandbox |
local; GPU: no |
local runtime; one-shot process exit | Local policy-constrained command execution | No persistent lease, remote box, or SSH access |
apple-container (apple, applecontainer) |
built-in; ssh-lease · local-runtime |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, cache-volume |
linux; Apple container runtime |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; container delete | Local Linux containers on Apple silicon | Requires Apple's container CLI and macOS |
apple-machine (applemachine) |
built-in; delegated-run · local-vm |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: run-session |
linux; Apple container machine |
local; GPU: no |
Apple runtime; machine delete | Local delegated Linux machine execution | Delegated execution, not a normal SSH lease |
apple-vm (applevm, apple-vz, applevz) |
built-in; ssh-lease · local-vm |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Apple Virtualization.framework VM |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; VM delete | Headless Linux ARM64 VM on Apple silicon | Apple silicon macOS only |
ascii-box (boat, ascii, asciibox) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; Boat (formerly ASCII Box) managed Linux box |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
provider CLI; keyed API fixed lease IDs; provider delete | Managed Linux box over SSH, selectable as boat | Requires Boat/Box CLI; fixed IDs allow one keyed recovery within 24h; no account attestation |
| aws | built-in; ssh-lease · brokerable-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · coordinator optional; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code, run-session, tailscale |
linux, windows/normal, windows/wsl2, macos; EC2 VM or dedicated Mac host |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox or coordinator; instance termination | Broad Linux, Windows, WSL2, and macOS cloud coverage | Largest configuration, quota, and cost surface |
| aws-lambda-microvm | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session, pause-resume |
linux; AWS Lambda Firecracker MicroVM |
cloud; GPU: no |
Crabbox and Lambda MicroVM API; MicroVM termination | Isolated stateful ARM64 command execution | Requires a compatible Crabbox runner image; launch Regions and lifetime are limited |
| azure | built-in; ssh-lease · brokerable-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · coordinator optional; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code, tailscale |
linux, windows/normal, windows/wsl2; Azure Virtual Machine |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox or coordinator; VM and owned resource delete | Linux or Windows workloads in Azure | Shared resource and identity setup is substantial |
| azure-dynamic-sessions | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; Azure Container Apps Dynamic Session |
cloud; GPU: no |
Azure session pool; provider session expiry | Short delegated container sessions in Azure | No Crabbox-managed SSH lease |
blacksmith-testbox (blacksmith) |
built-in; delegated-run · ci-proof-runner |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: cache-volume, run-proof, run-session, run-artifacts, prepared-artifact-workspace |
linux; Blacksmith Testbox runner |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
Blacksmith; provider session cleanup | CI reproduction with proof and reusable sessions | Execution and artifacts follow the Testbox contract |
| blaxel | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Blaxel managed Linux sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Blaxel; owned sandbox delete | Managed delegated Linux sandbox execution | Requires Blaxel API credentials and workspace access |
| boxd | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; boxd KVM microVM (Ubuntu 24.04) |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
TLS gRPC API + exec bootstrap; machine destroy (claim-gated) | Experimental isolated Linux microVM SSH leases | 2026-09-01: isolated creation verified over the gRPC API; guest port 8000 is publicly proxied without authentication |
cloud-run-sandbox (gcrun-sandbox, google-cloud-run-sandbox, cloudrun-sandbox) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Google Cloud Run sandbox |
cloud; GPU: no |
Cloud Run sandbox CLI or ComputeSDK gateway; sandbox delete | Isolated untrusted command execution on Cloud Run | Requires a Cloud Run service with --sandbox-launcher, or a remote gateway URL and secret |
cloudflare (cf) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Cloudflare Container |
cloud; GPU: no |
Cloudflare Worker; container delete | Fast delegated Linux container execution | Requires Worker deployment and container availability |
cloudflare-dynamic-workers (cf-dynamic, cfdw) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: cleanup, module-run, run-session |
worker-runtime; Cloudflare Dynamic Worker |
cloud; GPU: no |
Cloudflare loader Worker; terminal metadata and local claim removal | Hosted Worker module execution | No shell, SSH, or filesystem sync; Dynamic Workers must be enabled |
| cloudflare-sandbox | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Cloudflare Sandbox bridge |
cloud; GPU: no |
Cloudflare Sandbox bridge; sandbox delete | Cloudflare Sandbox Linux command execution through a bridge | Requires a configured bridge URL; no SSH, browser, Tailscale, URL sessions, mounts, or checkpoints |
| coder | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Coder workspace |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Coder CLI; workspace stop or delete | Coder-backed Linux workspace over SSH proxy | Requires the coder CLI, login, template access, and workspace quota |
codesandbox (csb, code-sandbox) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, pause-resume, run-session |
linux; CodeSandbox SDK sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
CodeSandbox; sandbox delete | Managed CodeSandbox Linux development environments | Requires env-only SDK auth and a local Node bridge |
| crownest | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Crownest Workspace Run sandbox |
cloud; GPU: no |
Crownest; sandbox delete | Hosted agent-ready Workspace Runs with archive sync and durable evidence | No SSH, env forwarding, artifacts, proof, downloads, or custom Dockerfile templates yet |
| cua | built-in; service-control · service-control |
No SSH; none · direct only; features: none |
linux, macos, windows/normal; CUA cloud sandbox inventory |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
CUA read-only inventory; not exposed | Experimental CUA diagnostics and existing-sandbox inspection | Experimental and read-only; all remote lifecycle mutations fail closed until upstream exposes safe creation and deletion ownership primitives |
| cubesandbox | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; CubeSandbox KVM MicroVM |
self-hosted; GPU: unknown |
Crabbox and Cube API; claimed sandbox delete | Self-hosted E2B-compatible MicroVM command execution | Requires a CubeSandbox deployment, ready template ID, and reachable CubeProxy data plane |
| daytona | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; archive-sync · coordinator optional; features: ssh, ssh-script-run, claim-exec, fixed-current-repo-stop, crabbox-sync, archive-sync, workspace-checkpoint, workspace-fork, provider-snapshot |
linux; Daytona sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Daytona; sandbox delete | Managed development sandbox with direct toolbox execution or brokered SSH | SSH access is short-lived; direct run uses Daytona toolbox APIs while brokered run uses SSH |
| digitalocean | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; DigitalOcean Droplet |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; Droplet and key delete | Simple direct Linux VM | Direct-only; no coordinator scheduling |
| docker-sandbox | built-in; delegated-run · local-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: run-session, mcp-attachments |
linux; Docker Sandbox |
local; GPU: no |
Docker sbx CLI; sandbox delete | Local delegated sandbox with reusable session handles | Requires the standalone sbx CLI |
| e2b | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: url-bridge, run-session |
linux; E2B Firecracker sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
E2B; sandbox kill or expiry | Hosted ephemeral code sandbox | URL bridge is provider-specific; no normal SSH lease |
exe-dev (exe, exedev) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; exe.dev managed VM |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
exe.dev; provider lifecycle | Fast managed Linux VM exposed over SSH | Public SSH only; provider CLI owns auth |
external (exec-provider) |
built-in; ssh-lease · external-provider |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code |
linux, macos, windows/normal, windows/wsl2; Configured executable contract |
byo; GPU: unknown |
external executable; contract-defined | Private or organization-specific provider integration | Safety and semantics depend on the configured executable |
fastapi-cloud (fastapicloud, fastapi) |
specialized; service-control · service-control |
SSH not applicable; none · direct only; features: none |
linux; FastAPI Cloud app |
cloud; GPU: unknown |
FastAPI Cloud; not exposed | Inspecting FastAPI Cloud app deployment readiness | Cannot execute arbitrary Crabbox run commands or stop apps |
| firecracker | built-in; ssh-lease · self-hosted-virtualization |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Firecracker microVM |
self-hosted; GPU: no |
Crabbox direct lifecycle; microVM and local artifact cleanup | Self-hosted Linux KVM host with prepared Firecracker kernel, rootfs, and CNI | Requires Linux, /dev/kvm, Firecracker assets, and a working CNI setup on the host |
| freestyle | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; Freestyle VM |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Freestyle; provider VM cleanup | Hosted delegated Linux VM execution | No Crabbox-managed SSH path |
gcp (google, google-cloud) |
built-in; ssh-lease · brokerable-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · coordinator optional; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; Google Compute Engine VM |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox or coordinator; instance and firewall cleanup | Linux compute with broad machine selection | Project, IAM, quota, and firewall setup required |
github-codespaces (codespaces, gh-codespaces) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; GitHub Codespace |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
GitHub Codespaces; delete or stop claim-owned Codespace | Repository-backed Linux devcontainer over SSH | Requires gh auth, Codespaces quota, and an SSH-enabled devcontainer |
| hetzner | built-in; ssh-lease · brokerable-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · coordinator optional; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code, tailscale, workspace-checkpoint, workspace-fork, provider-snapshot |
linux; Hetzner Cloud server |
cloud; GPU: no |
Crabbox or coordinator; server delete | Cost-effective high-CPU Linux VM | Linux-only and capacity varies by location |
| hostinger | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Hostinger VPS |
cloud; GPU: no |
Hostinger subscription; stop only | Direct Linux VPS with persistent subscription | Purchase needs opt-in and release does not cancel billing |
| hyperv | built-in; ssh-lease · local-vm |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
windows/normal; Microsoft Hyper-V VM |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; VM delete | Local native Windows VM | Windows host with Hyper-V required |
| incus | built-in; ssh-lease · self-hosted-virtualization |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, workspace-checkpoint, workspace-fork |
linux; Incus container or VM |
self-hosted; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; instance delete | Self-hosted Linux containers or VMs | Accessible Incus daemon required; native checkpoints capture container root disks only |
| islo | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
Provider-specific SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: ssh, url-bridge, run-session, tailscale, pause-resume, run-downloads, lease-heartbeat |
linux; Islo sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Islo; sandbox delete | Hosted delegated execution with keep, pause, and SSH helper | SSH feature is not Crabbox-managed sync/run |
kubevirt (kubernetes-vm) |
built-in; ssh-lease · self-hosted-virtualization |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code |
linux; KubeVirt VirtualMachine |
self-hosted; GPU: optional |
Crabbox on Kubernetes; VirtualMachine delete | Kubernetes-hosted Linux VM | Needs KubeVirt, virtctl, and an SSH-ready template |
| lambda | built-in; ssh-lease · gpu-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; Lambda Cloud on-demand instance |
cloud; GPU: yes |
Crabbox; instance and key termination | Direct GPU-backed Linux workload over SSH | Direct-only; billing, quota, and capacity are account-owned |
| linode | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; Linode instance |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; instance and key delete | Straightforward direct Linux VM | Direct-only; optional firewall must already exist |
local-container (docker, container, local-docker) |
built-in; ssh-lease · local-runtime |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, cache-volume, workspace-checkpoint, workspace-fork, run-session |
linux; Docker-compatible container |
local; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; container delete | Fast local Linux test environment | Isolation follows the local container runtime |
lume (local-lume, lume-macos) |
built-in; ssh-lease · local-vm |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
macos; Lume Apple silicon macOS VM |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; verified VM stop and delete | Layered local macOS VM development sessions | Apple silicon host, stopped prepared base, and Lume bootstrap account required |
| machine0 | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code, pause-resume, workspace-checkpoint, workspace-fork, provider-snapshot |
linux; Machine0 persistent Linux KVM VM |
provider-managed; GPU: optional |
Machine0 CLI; VM destroy by default; explicit suspend optional | Persistent Linux VM workflows with live CPU and GPU sizing | Stopping preserves the VM but does not avoid compute cost; suspend retains billed snapshot storage |
| modal | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; Modal Sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: optional |
Modal; sandbox termination | Hosted Python or GPU-oriented delegated workloads | Provider owns execution; no normal SSH lease |
| morph | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; Morph Cloud VM |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Morph; pause by default; optional delete | Managed Linux VM over SSH | Release retains the paused instance unless deleteOnRelease is enabled |
multipass (mp, canonical-multipass) |
built-in; ssh-lease · local-vm |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, cache-volume |
linux; Canonical Multipass VM |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; VM delete and purge | Portable local Ubuntu VM | Ubuntu-only first implementation |
mxc (execution-container) |
built-in; delegated-run · local-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: none |
windows/normal; Microsoft Execution Container |
local; GPU: no |
Windows runtime; container termination | Local isolated Windows command execution | Windows host and execution-container support required |
namespace-devbox (namespace, namespace-devboxes) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Namespace Devbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Namespace devbox CLI; stop by default; optional delete | Fast managed development box over SSH | Uses the devbox product, not Namespace Compute instances |
namespace-instance (namespace-compute) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Namespace Compute instance |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Namespace nsc CLI; instance delete | Short-lived managed Linux compute over SSH | Requires the nsc CLI and direct provider credentials |
| nebius | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Nebius Compute VM |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Nebius CLI; owned VM delete | Direct Linux VM lease with optional GPU selection | Requires Nebius CLI auth, project/subnet setup, quota, and public SSH |
| nomad | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; HashiCorp Nomad allocation |
self-hosted; GPU: unknown |
Nomad job; owned job deregister | Self-hosted delegated Linux execution on an existing Nomad cluster | Requires Nomad HTTP API access, allocation exec privileges, and an env-only token when ACLs are enabled |
nvidia-brev (brev, nvidia) |
built-in; ssh-lease · gpu-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; NVIDIA Brev GPU workspace |
provider-managed; GPU: yes |
NVIDIA Brev CLI; delete by default; optional stop | Managed NVIDIA GPU workspace over SSH | Requires Brev CLI auth, quota, and available GPU capacity |
opencomputer (oc, open-computer) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; OpenComputer Linux VM |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
OpenComputer; VM delete | Hosted delegated Linux VM execution | REST execution contract, not an SSH lease |
| opensandbox | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; OpenSandbox sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
OpenSandbox; sandbox delete | Hosted delegated sandbox through an open SDK | Requires compatible OpenSandbox control and exec endpoints |
orgo (orgo-ai) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: none |
linux; Orgo cloud computer |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Orgo; computer and temporary workspace delete | Managed Linux computer execution through an HTTP API | No normal SSH lease or Crabbox workspace sync |
| ovh | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; OVHcloud Public Cloud instance |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; instance, key, and local claim delete | OVHcloud Public Cloud Linux VM | Direct-only; credentials use OVH signed requests and local claims |
| parallels | built-in; ssh-lease · local-vm |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop, browser, code, workspace-checkpoint, workspace-fork, workspace-restore, provider-snapshot |
linux, macos, windows/normal, windows/wsl2; Parallels linked-clone VM |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; clone delete | Local macOS, Linux, or Windows VM with snapshots | Requires prepared source VMs and SSH; fixed lease IDs bind attested host and clone identity and remain single-use |
phala (phala-cloud, dstack) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Phala Cloud confidential Intel TDX CVM |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
Phala phala CLI; CVM delete | Short-lived confidential Linux compute over SSH | Requires the phala CLI and its stored auth; verifies Intel TDX attestation by default (needs outbound Intel PCS network; --phala-skip-attestation to opt out) |
| proxmox | built-in; ssh-lease · self-hosted-virtualization |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Proxmox VE QEMU clone |
self-hosted; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; VM delete | Self-hosted Linux VM fleet | Needs a prepared template, guest agent, and network; fixed lease IDs bind VMID and generation and retain uncertain attempts |
railway (rail, railwayapp) |
specialized; service-control · service-control |
SSH not applicable; none · direct only; features: url-bridge |
linux; Railway service |
cloud; GPU: unknown |
Railway; service stop only | Inspecting or stopping an existing Railway service | Cannot execute arbitrary Crabbox run commands |
runpod (run-pod, runpodio) |
built-in; ssh-lease · gpu-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; RunPod GPU pod |
cloud; GPU: yes |
RunPod; pod release | GPU-backed Linux workload over public SSH | Capacity, GPU pricing, and public SSH vary |
| scaleway | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; Scaleway Instance |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; instance and managed key delete | Direct Linux VM on Scaleway Instances | Direct-only; security groups must already allow SSH |
sealos-devbox (sealos, sealos-dev) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Sealos DevBox CRD |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Sealos DevBox CRD; pause or DevBox delete | Sealos DevBox Linux workspace over SSHGate or NodePort | Requires kubectl, explicit context, DevBox CRD/RBAC, image, and SSHGate or NodePort route configuration |
semaphore (sem) |
built-in; ssh-lease · ci-proof-runner |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; Semaphore CI job |
provider-managed; GPU: optional |
Semaphore; job stop | Debugging in the same image and secret plane as CI | Depends on debug SSH metadata from the job |
smolvm (smol, smolmachines, smolfleet) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; Smol Machines microVM |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
smolfleet; microVM delete | Lightweight hosted microVM execution | Delegated execution through smolfleet |
| sprites | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; Sprite microVM |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
Sprites; sprite delete | Fast Linux microVM over provider SSH proxy | SSH transport depends on sprite proxy |
ssh (static, static-ssh) |
built-in; ssh-lease · byo-ssh |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, desktop, browser, code |
linux, windows/normal, windows/wsl2, macos; Existing SSH host |
byo; GPU: optional |
user; none | Bring-your-own persistent Linux, macOS, or Windows host | Crabbox does not provision or clean up the host |
| superserve | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Superserve hosted sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Superserve; sandbox delete | Hosted delegated Linux sandbox | Requires both control-plane and data-plane access |
tart (local-tart, macos-vm) |
built-in; ssh-lease · local-vm |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, desktop |
macos; Tart Apple silicon VM |
local; GPU: no |
Crabbox; VM delete | Local macOS VM testing | Apple silicon host and prepared Tart image required |
tencentcloud (tencent, tencent-cvm, cvm) |
built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup, tailscale |
linux; Tencent Cloud CVM instance |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; instance termination | Linux SSH leases on Tencent Cloud CVM | Direct-only; requires CVM image, VPC/subnet/security-group planning, and Tencent Cloud API credentials |
| tenki | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync |
linux; Tenki sandbox VM |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Tenki; sandbox release | Managed Linux sandbox with SSH proxy | Gateway auth uses Tenki-managed key and certificate files |
tensorlake (tl, tensorlake-sbx) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: run-session |
linux; Tensorlake Firecracker sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Tensorlake; provider sandbox cleanup | Hosted Firecracker-backed delegated execution | Does not expose raw Firecracker provisioning |
unikraft-cloud (unikraftcloud, ukc) |
built-in; service-control · service-control |
No SSH; none · direct only; features: cleanup |
linux; Unikraft Cloud microVM service |
provider-managed; GPU: unknown |
Crabbox claim plus Unikraft Cloud instance; claimed instance stop and delete | Running a prebuilt OCI image as a cloud microVM service | No SSH, workspace sync, or arbitrary command execution; package the app as an OCI image first |
upstash-box (upstash, box, upstashbox) |
built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, run-session |
linux; Upstash Box sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
Upstash; sandbox cleanup | Hosted short-lived delegated sandbox | No normal SSH access or coordinator routing |
vast (vast-ai, vastai) |
built-in; ssh-lease · gpu-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Vast.ai direct GPU instance |
provider-managed; GPU: yes |
Crabbox; destroy by default; optional stop or keep | Direct Linux GPU lease from the Vast.ai offer market | Direct-only and billable; capacity, quota, and offer availability vary |
| vercel-sandbox | built-in; delegated-run · delegated-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync, cleanup, run-session |
linux; Vercel Sandbox microVM |
provider-managed; GPU: no |
Vercel Sandbox; sandbox delete | Hosted delegated Linux microVM execution | Requires SDK bridge support and Vercel Sandbox auth |
| vultr | built-in; ssh-lease · direct-cloud |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; Vultr instance |
cloud; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; instance and key delete | Direct Linux VM on Vultr | Direct-only; firewall groups and VPCs must already exist |
wandb (weights-and-biases) |
built-in; delegated-run · gpu-cloud |
No SSH; provider-owned · direct only; features: run-session |
linux; Weights & Biases run sandbox |
provider-managed; GPU: optional |
Weights & Biases; run termination | Delegated ML or GPU run environment | Execution follows the W&B run contract |
windows-sandbox (wsb, windows-sandbox-provider) |
built-in; delegated-run · local-sandbox |
No SSH; archive-sync · direct only; features: archive-sync |
windows/normal; Windows Sandbox |
local; GPU: optional |
Windows host; sandbox close | Disposable native Windows command execution | Requires Windows Sandbox and local host automation |
| xcp-ng | built-in; ssh-lease · self-hosted-virtualization |
Crabbox-managed SSH; crabbox-sync · direct only; features: ssh, crabbox-sync, cleanup |
linux; XCP-ng VM clone |
self-hosted; GPU: optional |
Crabbox; VM delete | Self-hosted Linux VM pool over XAPI | Normal leases require prepared Linux templates |
- The Azure family ships two backends: the default VM SSH lease
(
provider: azure) and the delegatedazure-dynamic-sessionsprovider (Azure Container Apps dynamic sessions). They share theazurefamily but are distinct adapters. - The Cloudflare family ships three delegated backends:
cloudflarefor Cloudflare Containers and Linux commands,cloudflare-dynamic-workersfor Worker-runtime module execution, andcloudflare-sandboxfor Cloudflare Sandbox bridge-backed Linux command execution. They are separate providers with separate runner configs and token env vars. - Tensorlake is Crabbox's Firecracker-backed delegated provider. The separate
firecrackerprovider is the self-hosted Linux KVM surface with direct lifecycle, normal Crabbox SSH sync/run, and local artifact cleanup. - Docker Sandbox is a delegated-run provider driven by the standalone
sbxCLI. It has no aliases, sodocker,container, andlocal-dockerremain Local Container aliases. - OpenSandbox is a delegated-run provider using the OpenSandbox Go SDK for
lifecycle, file upload, and execd command execution. It has no aliases in v1,
so
osbremains reserved. - Superserve is a delegated-run provider using Superserve's control plane for sandbox lifecycle and a sandbox data plane for file upload and command execution. It has no aliases in v1.
- Vercel Sandbox is a delegated-run provider using Vercel's Sandbox SDK bridge
for lifecycle, archive upload, command execution, session handles, and
deletion. The
sandboxCLI is used only for login/readiness checks and manual debugging because Crabbox does not rely on it as a stable lifecycle JSON contract. - Anthropic Sandbox Runtime is a local one-shot delegated-run provider driven
by the standalone
srtCLI. It has no SSH lease, no persistent lifecycle, and no remote sync surface. - ASCII Box is an SSH-lease provider. Crabbox uses the documented
box --jsonCLI for lifecycle/status/delete, then runs normal sync and commands over SSH. - XCP-ng is a direct SSH-lease provider for a self-hosted XCP-ng pool on
dedicated 64-bit x86 server-class hardware. XCP-ng itself can host Linux,
Windows, and BSD guests, but Crabbox's current
xcp-ngadapter provisions normal leases from Linux templates only. Crabbox talks to XAPI from the CLI, usesVM.copyplusVM.provision, injects cloud-init through a FAT16CIDATAconfig drive, optionally moves all VIFs to the configured network, and uses guest metrics for IPv4 discovery. See the provider page for the separate Windows x86_64/x64 ISO E2E harness, and use the Tart provider on Apple hardware for macOS VM workflows. incusis a direct Linux SSH-lease provider that stores Crabbox ownership and expiry metadata in Incususer.crabbox.*instance config keys. Real Apple Silicon smoke still follows the separate local testbed contract documented on the provider page.- DigitalOcean is a direct-only Linux Droplet provider. It uses
DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN, per-lease SSH keys, and Crabbox-owned flat tags; it does not run through the coordinator. - Linode is a direct-only Linux instance provider. It uses
LINODE_TOKEN, per-lease SSH keys, metadata user-data, optional attachment to an existing firewall, and Crabbox-owned tags; it does not run through the coordinator. - Vultr is a direct-only Linux instance provider. It uses
VULTR_API_KEY, per-lease SSH keys, cloud-init user data, optional attachment to existing firewall groups and VPCs, and Crabbox-owned tags; it does not run through the coordinator. - Hostinger is a direct-only Linux VPS provider. Purchases require explicit opt-in; release stops the VPS but does not cancel its subscription.
- Capability flags (
--desktop,--browser,--code, VNC) are validated against each provider's declared feature set. Among the SSH-lease providers, desktop/browser/code surfaces are richest onaws,azure,hetzner,parallels,ssh, andlocal-container;multipassexposes local VM SSH and sync only in its first implementation, andapple-vmdoes the same through a local helper and host-local SSH proxy. Most other SSH-lease providers expose only SSH and Crabbox sync. Delegated-run providers generally do not expose Crabbox-managed SSH or rsync and support only their declared run/session features. - Actions runner hydration requires a normal SSH lease on Linux. Use a Linux-capable SSH-lease provider for that path.
crabbox warmup --provider aws --class beast
crabbox run --provider hetzner -- pnpm test
crabbox run --provider digitalocean --type s-1vcpu-1gb -- pnpm test
crabbox run --provider linode --type g6-standard-1 -- pnpm test
crabbox run --provider vultr --type vc2-1c-1gb -- pnpm test
crabbox doctor --provider hostinger
crabbox run --provider docker -- pnpm test
crabbox run --provider docker-sandbox -- go test ./...
crabbox run --provider apple-vm -- go test ./...
crabbox run --provider multipass -- go test ./...
crabbox run --provider blacksmith-testbox --id tbx_123 -- pnpm test
crabbox run --provider namespace-devbox --id blue-lobster -- pnpm testProvider implementation lives under internal/providers/<name>; registration is
in internal/providers/all/all.go. Command orchestration and the renderer
surface stay in internal/cli.
Related docs: