> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.boxlite.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Sandboxes for every agent. Embeddable, stateful, snapshots, and hardware isolation.

BoxLite lets you spin up lightweight Linux VMs and run OCI containers inside them — in milliseconds, from your own code, with no daemon and no root. Unlike ephemeral sandboxes that destroy state after each execution, BoxLite Boxes are **stateful workspaces** — install packages, create files, build up environment state, then come back later and pick up where you left off.

Runs on macOS (Apple Silicon), Linux (KVM), and Windows (WSL2).

## Why BoxLite?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Embeddable" icon="cube">
    A library you import — no daemon, no cloud account, no root. Local first, cloud when you're ready.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Stateful" icon="database">
    Boxes retain packages, files, and environment across stop/restart. No rebuilding on every interaction.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Snapshots" icon="camera">
    Fork, checkpoint, and restore full sandbox state. Branch execution like `git branch` for environments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Hardware isolation" icon="shield-halved">
    Each sandbox is a real micro-VM with its own Linux kernel. VM-level security with container-level ergonomics.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Quick start

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    # pip install boxlite
    import asyncio
    import boxlite

    async def main():
        async with boxlite.SimpleBox(image="alpine:latest") as box:
            result = await box.exec("echo", "Hello from BoxLite!")
            print(result.stdout)

    asyncio.run(main())
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Node.js">
    ```typescript theme={null}
    // npm install @boxlite-ai/boxlite
    import { SimpleBox } from '@boxlite-ai/boxlite';

    const box = new SimpleBox({ image: 'alpine:latest' });
    try {
      const result = await box.exec('echo', 'Hello from BoxLite!');
      console.log(result.stdout);
    } finally {
      await box.stop();
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## BoxRun — sandbox management

**BoxRun** is the management layer for BoxLite sandboxes. Create, list, stop, and delete boxes through a CLI, REST API, Python SDK, or web dashboard — all in a single binary.

```bash theme={null}
curl -fsSL https://boxlite.ai/boxrun/install | sh
boxrun shell ubuntu
```

BoxLite creates and runs micro-VMs. BoxRun manages them — tracking state, persisting data, and exposing operations over HTTP and CLI.

## SDKs and platforms

| SDK     | Install                           |
| ------- | --------------------------------- |
| Python  | `pip install boxlite`             |
| Node.js | `npm install @boxlite-ai/boxlite` |
| Rust    | Git dependency                    |
| C       | Link `libboxlite`                 |

| Platform | Architecture    | Requirements |
| -------- | --------------- | ------------ |
| macOS    | Apple Silicon   | macOS 12+    |
| Linux    | x86\_64 / ARM64 | KVM enabled  |
| Windows  | WSL2            | KVM support  |

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Tutorials" icon="graduation-cap" href="/tutorials/index">
    Execute code, connect LLMs, transfer files, and automate browsers — step-by-step.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Guides" icon="book-open" href="/guides/index">
    AI agent integration, security configuration, and production patterns.
  </Card>

  <Card title="SDK reference" icon="book" href="/reference/index">
    Full API reference for the Python, Node.js, Rust, and C SDKs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Architecture" icon="sitemap" href="/architecture/index">
    How BoxLite works under the hood — microVMs, the jailer, networking, and storage.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Join the community" icon="discord" href="https://go.boxlite.ai/discord">
    Ask questions, share projects, and chat with the BoxLite team on Discord.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>