Runtimes in Chat
Configure a project's sandbox, start, pause, and stop it, and install capabilities from Chat.
Every project has one runtime, which runs your sessions in a sandbox. To manage it, open a session and select the sandbox status at the top.
What each status costs
Section titled “What each status costs”| Status | Meaning | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| No runtime | The project has never had a sandbox. Your first message creates one. | No |
| Idle | No sandbox is running. Your next message starts one. | No |
| Starting | The sandbox is coming up. | Yes |
| Running | The sandbox is up. | Yes |
| Paused | The sandbox is suspended with its files intact. | No |
| Disconnected | The sandbox is still running. Select the status and choose Reconnect. | Yes |
| Error | Something went wrong. See When something breaks. | — |
Configuring the sandbox
Section titled “Configuring the sandbox”When you start a new session, select Configure Sandbox to choose the sandbox’s capabilities, CPU and memory, secrets, environment variables, and max idle time. See the quickstart for details on each.
Max idle time is how long the sandbox keeps running after you disconnect. It never stops while you’re connected. When the time runs out, the sandbox pauses, or shuts down if the provider can’t pause.
Pausing and stopping
Section titled “Pausing and stopping”Select the sandbox status, then:
- Pause to stop billing and keep the sandbox’s files. Only some providers support pausing.
- Stop to delete the sandbox and all its files. Your sessions are kept.
- Start or Resume to bring it back.
You can also manage runtimes from the CLI and TUI. See Managing runtimes.
Installing capabilities
Section titled “Installing capabilities”Select the sandbox status, open Capabilities, and select Add capability to install agents, tools, and skills. To remove one, select it from the same tab. The sandbox must be running to install, update, or remove.
Each installed capability shows its version. When a newer version is published, it’s marked Update available; select it and choose Update to switch to the newer version. Updating is optional, and the sandbox reloads its capabilities when it’s done.
Capabilities belong to one project. Installing one in one project doesn’t add it to another. See Capabilities.
When something breaks
Section titled “When something breaks”If an agent is missing or a tool keeps failing, select the sandbox status and open Health for the cause and how to fix it. A running sandbox doesn’t mean every capability loaded. For more detail, check Logs.