coding-agent

# A coding agent in a machine Verified on **smolvm v1.27.4** on Linux x86_64, 2026-10-14, and on **v1.29.0** on macOS arm64, 2026-10-15. Done means the agent runs inside the machine from the project directory, its edits appear on the host, and git works on the mounted repo. ## Procedure **1. Copy the Smolfile into the project.** Edit the `npm install` line in `init` to the agents you use; any install command works. ```bash cp docs/coding-agent/assets/agent.smolfile ./Smolfile ``` **2. Create and start the machine.** Pass API keys as references so they are read from your host at launch, never written to the machine record: ```bash smolvm machine create --name agent -s Smolfile --secret-env ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=ANTHROPIC_API_KEY smolvm machine start --name agent # first start runs init: under a minute once the image is pulled ``` The Smolfile forwards your SSH agent, so `start` needs `SSH_AUTH_SOCK` set on the host: without it, it stops with `ssh-agent: SSH_AUTH_SOCK is not set`. Start one with `eval $(ssh-agent)`, or delete the `[auth]` block. **3. Run the agent.** ```bash smolvm machine exec --name agent -it -- claude --dangerously-skip-permissions smolvm machine exec --name agent -it -- opencode ``` `machine shell --name agent` gives a shell in `/workspace` for anything else. **4. Check git.** `smolvm machine exec --name agent -- git status` must print the repo's status, not `dubious ownership`; if it does not, the `safe.directory` line in `init` did not run. **5. Stop or delete.** `machine stop --name agent` keeps the installed agents for next time, and the next start takes about a second. `machine delete --name agent -f` removes the machine; the project stays on the host. ## Notes - `init` runs once. Changing it later needs a new machine, or run the new commands with `exec`. - To keep the agent off your LAN and the host's ports, add `block_private = true` under `[network]` (from v1.28.1). See `README.md`. - An agent that needs Docker: add `"/var/lib/docker", "/var/lib/containerd"` to `[dev] volumes` (from v1.28.1) and see [docker-in-machine](../docker-in-machine/README.md).