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CLI commands

Sandbox CLI

Manage Docker-based sandbox containers for isolated agent execution.

Overview​

OpenClaw can run agents in isolated Docker containers for security. The sandbox commands help you manage these containers, especially after updates or configuration changes.

Commands​

openclaw sandbox explain​

Inspect the effective sandbox mode/scope/workspace access, sandbox tool policy, and elevated gates (with fix-it config key paths).

openclaw sandbox explain
openclaw sandbox explain --session agent:main:main
openclaw sandbox explain --agent work
openclaw sandbox explain --json

openclaw sandbox list​

List all sandbox containers with their status and configuration.

openclaw sandbox list
openclaw sandbox list --browser  # List only browser containers
openclaw sandbox list --json     # JSON output

Output includes:

  • Container name and status (running/stopped)
  • Docker image and whether it matches config
  • Age (time since creation)
  • Idle time (time since last use)
  • Associated session/agent

openclaw sandbox recreate​

Remove sandbox containers to force recreation with updated images/config.

openclaw sandbox recreate --all                # Recreate all containers
openclaw sandbox recreate --session main       # Specific session
openclaw sandbox recreate --agent mybot        # Specific agent
openclaw sandbox recreate --browser            # Only browser containers
openclaw sandbox recreate --all --force        # Skip confirmation

Options:

  • --all: Recreate all sandbox containers
  • --session : Recreate container for specific session
  • --agent : Recreate containers for specific agent
  • --browser: Only recreate browser containers
  • --force: Skip confirmation prompt

Important: Containers are automatically recreated when the agent is next used.

Use Cases​

After updating Docker images​

# Pull new image
docker pull openclaw-sandbox:latest
docker tag openclaw-sandbox:latest openclaw-sandbox:bookworm-slim

# Update config to use new image
# Edit config: agents.defaults.sandbox.docker.image (or agents.list[].sandbox.docker.image)

# Recreate containers
openclaw sandbox recreate --all

After changing sandbox configuration​

# Edit config: agents.defaults.sandbox.* (or agents.list[].sandbox.*)

# Recreate to apply new config
openclaw sandbox recreate --all

After changing setupCommand​

openclaw sandbox recreate --all
# or just one agent:
openclaw sandbox recreate --agent family

For a specific agent only​

# Update only one agent's containers
openclaw sandbox recreate --agent alfred

Why is this needed?​

Problem: When you update sandbox Docker images or configuration:

  • Existing containers continue running with old settings
  • Containers are only pruned after 24h of inactivity
  • Regularly-used agents keep old containers running indefinitely

Solution: Use openclaw sandbox recreate to force removal of old containers. They’ll be recreated automatically with current settings when next needed. Tip: prefer openclaw sandbox recreate over manual docker rm. It uses the Gateway’s container naming and avoids mismatches when scope/session keys change.

Configuration​

Sandbox settings live in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json under agents.defaults.sandbox (per-agent overrides go in agents.list[].sandbox):

{
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "sandbox": {
        "mode": "all", // off, non-main, all
        "scope": "agent", // session, agent, shared
        "docker": {
          "image": "openclaw-sandbox:bookworm-slim",
          "containerPrefix": "openclaw-sbx-",
          // ... more Docker options
        },
        "prune": {
          "idleHours": 24, // Auto-prune after 24h idle
          "maxAgeDays": 7, // Auto-prune after 7 days
        },
      },
    },
  },
}

See Also​

resetsecrets