Quickstart - boat

1. Install

curl -fsSL https://boat.dev/install | sh

irm https://boat.dev/install.ps1 | iex

The installer signs you in through the browser (GitHub, Google, or an emailed code), asks whether the sandboxes are for you or for your users, and opens checkout for a plan with a free 7-day trial. Back in the terminal, you are ready.

2. Start a sandbox

boat new

A full Linux VM, 4 vCPU / 8 GB, with Docker, Node, Python, Go, Rust and the usual coding agents already installed. It stops itself after an hour unless you say otherwise.

3. Use it

boat ssh                      # a shell inside
boat prompt "add tests"       # run Claude Code or Codex inside it
boat stop                     # snapshot and pause billing; boat resume brings it back

Every command takes the sandbox id, or current for the one you just made.

From code

The same three steps over HTTP, with an API key:

curl -sS -X POST "https://boat.dev/api/v1/sandboxes" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BOAT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"ttlSeconds":3600}'

import { BoatApi, Configuration } from "@boatdev/sdk";

const sandbox = new BoatApi(new Configuration({
  basePath: "https://boat.dev/api/v1",
  accessToken: process.env.BOAT_API_KEY!,
}));

const created = await sandbox.create({ ttlSeconds: 3600 });
console.log(created.sandbox.id);

import os
from boat_sdk import ApiClient, Configuration
from boat_sdk.api.boat_api import BoatApi
from boat_sdk.models.create_sandbox_request import CreateSandboxRequest

config = Configuration(host="https://boat.dev/api/v1", access_token=os.environ["BOAT_API_KEY"])
with ApiClient(config) as client:
    sandbox = BoatApi(client)
    created = sandbox.create(CreateSandboxRequest(ttl_seconds=3600))
    print(created.sandbox.id)

Pricing

What each size costs per hour, and what a plan buys.

Build a platform on Boat

Give every user or agent their own sandbox.

Environments

Repositories, secrets and credentials every new sandbox starts with.

Long-running tasks

Keep a sandbox up for days; resume and fork.

Accounts & sign-in

Sign-in methods, a second machine, and which surface does what.

API & SDKs

Auth, envelopes, errors, and the typed Python and TypeScript clients.

​1. Install

​2. Start a sandbox

​3. Use it

​From code

​Next