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Hi Simon,

I share your worries on this topic.

I saw you experiment a lot with python. Do you have a python-focused sandboxed devcontainer setup for Claude Code / Codex you want to share? Or even a full stack setup?

Claude's devcontainer setup (https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/tree/main/.devcont...) is focused on JS with npm.



I've been trying out GitHub Codespaces as a sandbox, which works pretty well.

I wrote a bit about that in a new post this morning, but I'm still looking for an ideal solution: https://simonwillison.net/2025/Sep/30/designing-agentic-loop...


Using a container or a VM is still friction compared to just working on your files directly using a separate user account to prevent unsophisticated bad behaviour. I:

-create a separate linux user, put it in an 'appshare' group, set its umask to 002 (default rwxrwxr.x)

-optional: setup some symlinks from its home dir to mine such as various ~/.config/... so it can use my installed packages and opencode config, etc. I have the option to give it limited write access with chgrp to appshare and chmod g+w (e.g. julia's cache)

-optional: setup firewall rules

-if it only needs read-only access to my git history it can work in a git worktree. I can then make git commits with my user account from the worktree. Or I can chgrp/chown my main working copy. Otherwise it needs a separate checkout


you can do anything in that devcontainer, i have a dockerfile that adds golang tools and claude code just runs whatever install it needs anyway :)

I actually preferred running stuff in containers to keep my personal system clean anyway so I like this better than letting claude use my laptop. I'm working on hosting devcontainer claude code in kubernetes too so I dont need my laptop at all.




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