Agents' computer
A computer apart from your machine
Section titled “A computer apart from your machine”APX can prepare an optional Linux virtual machine with a browser, desktop and terminal. It downloads Lima if needed, Linux and desktop packages; Docker is not required. This runs on the core’s computer, not automatically on the device where you open the panel. What that computer needs:
| Core runs on | Needs | Runs the VM with |
|---|---|---|
| macOS 13 or later (Apple Silicon or Intel) | Nothing extra | Apple’s Virtualization framework |
| Linux (x86-64 or ARM64) | QEMU (sudo apt install qemu-system-x86 qemu-utils, or qemu-system-arm qemu-efi-aarch64 on ARM) and access to /dev/kvm (sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER, then sign in again) | QEMU with KVM |
| Windows 10 (build 19041 or later) or 11 | WSL 2 (wsl --install --no-distribution in an administrator PowerShell, then restart) and Git for Windows, for its ssh (winget install --id Git.Git -e) | WSL 2, on a Debian image APX prepares the first time |
If something is missing, the first start stops and the panel says what to install. On Windows:
- The first start builds the Debian image once (a few minutes) and keeps it for later starts.
- WSL’s mirrored networking (
networkingMode=mirroredin.wslconfig) shares Windows’ own localhost with the VM, so the computer refuses to start with it. Use WSL’s default networking. - WSL sets memory and CPUs for all its distributions at once, in
.wslconfig; the computer’s memory and CPU settings do not change them. - WSL distributions share one network. Each agent can reach only its own loopback services and APX’s egress proxy, so services your other distributions listen on at localhost stay out of its reach.
- The VM cannot run Windows programs, and Windows drives mounted under
/mntare closed to agents.
This is different from letting agents use your own desktop or opening tabs in APX’s embedded browser.
Allow an agent and choose its chat
Section titled “Allow an agent and choose its chat”The computer is off for every agent until you allow it. Open the agent’s settings and Isolated computer, or ask your super-agent to help enable it. Allowing an agent lets it start its own screen when it needs one; it is not permission to use your own screen.
Open a project agent’s chat and its Computer panel, then choose Use the computer here (or allow the agent and use it here). Ask it to work there. APX shows creation, loading and readiness in the chat; an allowed agent can start the computer and continue when it is ready. Home stays on the host computer. A contact’s, widget’s or outside app’s message does not gain access to the computer.
One Linux VM is shared by allowed agents, but each has its own Linux user, browser and screen. A screen belongs to one chat at a time; another chat points you to that chat rather than silently taking its screen. In a chat on the computer, shell, files, browser and screen actions run there, not as a fallback on the host. Tasks, delegation, memory and web reads remain available. Do not assume project files on the host are automatically copied there.
Watch or take control
Section titled “Watch or take control”Computers lists allowed agents’ screens, including ones that are off. You can turn a screen on or off, open it and open its chat. Turning a screen off is not the same as shutting down the shared VM for everyone.
In the computer panel:
- Take control interrupts the agent so you can use the desktop or sign in yourself. Agents must not type your passwords, payment details or verification codes.
- Return control to agent hands the screen back. If a turn stopped for your control, return it and ask the agent again when needed.
- VM terminal sends commands as that agent’s Linux user in
~/work, after you take control. Enter sends; Shift+Enter adds a line. For an interactive shell, use the terminal on the Linux desktop. - Closing the panel leaves the computer running. A screen may remain on after its agent’s turn finishes.
Resources and shutdown
Section titled “Resources and shutdown”Computer resources shows memory, CPUs, disk and idle shutdown. New resource settings apply at the next VM start; the running computer may still have the previous allocation. The default idle timeout is 30 minutes. Shutting down keeps the guest disk and files. Disk allocation can grow, but cannot shrink.
The screen limit depends on the memory allocated to the running VM. If it is full, turn off another screen or increase memory and restart the VM. Starting also needs free memory for the VM plus a reserve for the host. When available, APX offers a smaller allocation. Start anyway appears only when the VM fits but the host’s reserve does not; it is not a general bypass for insufficient memory. The VM can shut down if the host runs short of memory, keeping its disk.
Boundaries
Section titled “Boundaries”The guest separates this work from your desktop, but is not permission to trust web pages or downloaded code. Network access is mediated by APX’s egress proxy; it is not an unrestricted route to your host or private network. Review requests to send messages, publish or use credentials just as you would in an ordinary chat. Use autonomy settings deliberately.
If setup fails, read the reason in the panel before retrying. Check host support, free memory and disk space. For remote cores, diagnose the server hosting the core, not just your local desktop app.