compare · reviewed 2026-10-27
OpenSandbox vs semantic
OpenSandbox is an Apache-2.0 sandbox platform from Alibaba. It runs on Docker locally or Kubernetes in production through one lifecycle API, and highlights Firecracker as a runtime. [1]
It offers per-sandbox egress policy and a credential vault that lets agents call outside services without exposing real credentials. [1] Semantic adds per-path, per-repo and per-host permissions and a tamper-evident agent log.
| OpenSandboxopen source · Docker or Kubernetes | Semantic (smx)microVM + policy on your machines | |
|---|---|---|
| Isolation | Firecracker runtime highlighted [1] | One microVM per agent, own kernel |
| Where it runs | Self-hosted on Docker or Kubernetes [1] | Managed private beta; on-prem for enterprise (contact us) |
| Egress rules | Per-sandbox egress policy [1] | Security profiles enforced by host firewall; metadata and link-local always closed |
| Credentials kept out | Credential vault [1] | Git tokens, SSH keys and model sign-ins stay on the host |
| File, Git, SSH permissions | not documented | Per path, repo, branch and SSH host; deny beats allow; enforced on the host |
| Tamper-evident agent log | not documented | Hash-chained log of runs, events and refusals; read with smx agent logs |
| Snapshots, pause/resume | Pause and resume with memory and disk [1] | Snapshot, pause and resume with memory, disk and running processes |
| Local hosts (Linux / WSL2 / macOS) | Linux; WSL2 and macOS — | Linux (KVM) and Windows via WSL2; macOS planned |
| License | Apache-2.0 [1] | Proprietary (private beta) |
OpenSandbox, per its docsSemanticnot documented in the vendor's public docs
Which one fits
When OpenSandbox fits better
- You run Kubernetes and want resource pools and batch creation. [1]
- You run many sandboxes for agent evaluation or training. [1]
- You want SDKs in Python, Java/Kotlin, JS/TS, C# and Go. [1]
When Semantic fits better
- Agents work on your repos and you need branch-level Git and per-path file permissions enforced outside the agent.
- You need a tamper-evident log of what the agent did inside the sandbox, including refusals.
- Developers run sandboxes on their own laptops, including WSL2.
Fleet API vs per-agent policy
OpenSandbox focuses on lifecycle at scale. [1] Semantic focuses on what each agent may touch: files, repos, branches, SSH hosts and egress, decided on the host.
Questions
Is OpenSandbox open source?
Yes, Apache-2.0. [1]
Does OpenSandbox keep credentials out?
Yes, through its credential vault. [1]
Sources
- OpenSandbox repository · last verified 2026-10-27