Build agents with sandboxes and serverless orchestration runtime
[](https://pypi.org/project/tensorlake/)
[](https://pypi.org/project/tensorlake/)
[](LICENSE)
[](https://docs.tensorlake.ai)
[](https://join.slack.com/t/tensorlakecloud/shared_invite/zt-32fq4nmib-gO0OM5RIar3zLOBm~ZGqKg)
Tensorlake is a compute infrastructure platform for building agentic applications with sandboxes.
The Sandbox API creates MicroVM sandboxes which you can use to run agents, or use them as an isolated environment for running tools or LLM generated code.
In addition to stateful VMs, you can also add long running orchestration capabilities to Agents using a serverless function runtime with fan-out capabilities.
## Sandboxes
Tensorlake Sandboxes are stateful Firecracker MicroVMs built for instant, stateful execution environments for AI agents — spin up millions of VMs with near-SSD filesystem performance.
### Key capabilities
* **Fastest Filesystem I/O** — Block-based storage achieving near-SSD speeds inside virtual machines. In SQLite benchmarks (2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM), Tensorlake completes in **2.45s** vs Vercel 3.00s (1.2×), E2B 3.92s (1.6×), Modal 4.66s (1.9×), and Daytona 5.51s (2.2×).
* **Fast startup** — Sandboxes created in under a second via Lattice, a dynamic cluster scheduler.
* **Snapshots & cloning** — Snapshot at any point to create durable memory and filesystem checkpoints; clone running sandboxes instantaneously across machines.
* **Auto suspend/resume** — Sandboxes suspend when idle and resume in under a second without losing any memory or filesystem state.
* **Live migration** — Sandboxes automatically move between machines during updates with only a brief pause of a few seconds.
* **Scale** — Supports up to 5 million sandboxes in a single project.
### Python SDK Installation
```bash
pip install tensorlake
```
### CLI Installation
The `tl` CLI is distributed as a standalone binary, not through PyPI or npm.
Install it with the install script:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://tensorlake.ai/install | sh
```
### Setup
Sign up at [cloud.tensorlake.ai](https://cloud.tensorlake.ai/) and get your API key.
```bash
export TENSORLAKE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
tl login
```
### Create Your First Sandbox (CLI)
Create a sandbox, run a command, and clean up:
```bash
# Create a sandbox
tl sbx create --image tensorlake/tensorlake/ubuntu-minimal
# Run a command inside it
tl sbx exec -- sh -lc "printf 'Hello from the sandbox!\n'"
# Copy a file into the sandbox
tl sbx cp ./my_script.py :/tmp/my_script.py
# Open an interactive terminal
tl sbx ssh
# Terminate when done
tl sbx terminate
```
`--image` expects a sandbox image name such as `tensorlake/ubuntu-minimal` or a registered Sandbox Image name, not an arbitrary Docker image reference.
### Create a Sandbox Programmatically
```python
from tensorlake.sandbox import SandboxClient
client = SandboxClient.for_cloud(api_key="your-api-key")
# Create a sandbox and connect to it
with client.create_and_connect(image="tensorlake/ubuntu-minimal") as sandbox:
# Run a command
result = sandbox.run("sh", ["-lc", "printf 'Hello from the sandbox!\\n'"])
print(result.stdout) # "Hello from the sandbox!"
# Write and read files
sandbox.write_file("/tmp/data.txt", b"some data")
content = sandbox.read_file("/tmp/data.txt")
# Start a long-running process
proc = sandbox.start_process("sleep", ["300"])
print(proc.pid)
# Sandbox is automatically terminated when the context manager exits
```
### Snapshots
Save the state of a sandbox and restore it later:
```python
# Snapshot a running sandbox
snapshot = client.snapshot_and_wait(sandbox_id)
# Later, create a new sandbox from the snapshot
with client.create_and_connect(snapshot_id=snapshot.snapshot_id) as sandbox:
# Picks up right where you left off
result = sandbox.run("ls", ["/tmp"])
print(result.stdout)
```
### Sandbox Pools
Pre-warm containers for fast startup:
```python
# Create a pool with warm containers
pool = client.create_pool(
image="tensorlake/ubuntu-minimal",
warm_containers=3,
)
# Claim a sandbox instantly from the pool
resp = client.claim(pool.pool_id)
sandbox = client.connect(resp.sandbox_id)
# Named sandboxes can be reconnected later by name
named = client.create(image="tensorlake/ubuntu-minimal", name="stable-name")
sandbox = client.connect("stable-name")
```
---
## Orchestrate
Create orchestration APIs on a distributed runtime with automatic scaling, fan-out capabilities and built-in tracking. The orchestration APIs can be invoked using HTTP requests or using the Python SDK.
### Quickstart
Decorate your entrypoint with `@application()` and functions with `@function()`. Each function runs in its own isolated sandbox.
**Example**: City guide using OpenAI Agents with web search and code execution:
```python
from agents import Agent, Runner
from agents.tool import WebSearchTool, function_tool
from tensorlake.applications import application, function, Image
# Define the image with necessary dependencies
FUNCTION_CONTAINER_IMAGE = Image(base_image="python:3.11-slim", name="city_guide_image").run(
"pip install openai openai-agents"
)
@function_tool
@function(
description="Gets the weather for a city using an OpenAI Agent with web search",
secrets=["OPENAI_API_KEY"],
image=FUNCTION_CONTAINER_IMAGE,
)
def get_weather_tool(city: str) -> str:
"""Uses an OpenAI Agent with WebSearchTool to find current weather."""
agent = Agent(
name="Weather Reporter",
instructions="Use web search to find current weather in Fahrenheit for the city.",
tools=[WebSearchTool()], # Agent can search the web
)
result = Runner.run_sync(agent, f"City: {city}")
return result.final_output.strip()
@application(tags={"type": "example", "use_case": "city_guide"})
@function(
description="Creates a guide with temperature conversion using function_tool",
secrets=["OPENAI_API_KEY"],
image=FUNCTION_CONTAINER_IMAGE,
)
def city_guide_app(city: str) -> str:
"""Uses an OpenAI Agent with function_tool to run Python code for conversion."""
@function_tool
def convert_to_celsius_tool(python_code: str) -> float:
"""Converts Fahrenheit to Celsius - runs as Python code via Agent."""
return float(eval(python_code))
agent = Agent(
name="Guide Creator",
instructions="Using the appropriate tools, get the weather for the purposes of the guide. If the city uses Celsius, call convert_to_celsius_tool to convert the temperature, passing in the code needed to convert the temperature to Celsius. Create a friendly guide that references the temperature of the city in Celsius if the city typically uses Celsius, otherwise reference the temperature in Fahrenheit. Only reference Celsius or Fahrenheit, not both.",
tools=[get_weather_tool, convert_to_celsius_tool], # Agent can execute this Python function
)
result = Runner.run_sync(agent, f"City: {city}")
return result.final_output.strip()
```
#### Deploy to Tensorlake
1. Set your API keys:
```bash
export TENSORLAKE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
tl secrets set OPENAI_API_KEY "your-openai-key"
```
2. Deploy:
```bash
tl deploy examples/readme_example/city_guide.py
```
#### Call via HTTP
```bash
# Invoke the application
curl https://api.tensorlake.ai/applications/city_guide_app \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TENSORLAKE_API_KEY" \
--json '"San Francisco"'
# Returns: {"request_id": "beae8736ece31ef9"}
# Get the result
curl https://api.tensorlake.ai/applications/city_guide_app/requests/{request_id}/output \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TENSORLAKE_API_KEY"
# Stream results with SSE
curl https://api.tensorlake.ai/applications/city_guide_app \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TENSORLAKE_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: text/event-stream" \
--json '"San Francisco"'
```
---
## FAQ
**What is Tensorlake?**
Tensorlake is the sandbox-native cloud for AI agents — a compute platform for securely running untrusted, LLM-generated code in isolated sandboxes and orchestrating agentic applications at scale.
**How do I run untrusted or LLM-generated code safely?**
Each Tensorlake sandbox is an isolated Firecracker MicroVM, so untrusted or LLM-generated code runs in a hardware-virtualized environment separate from your infrastructure and other sandboxes. Create one with the Python or TypeScript SDK, or the CLI, in a few lines.
**How is Tensorlake different from E2B, Modal, or Daytona?**
Tensorlake is built for heavy filesystem I/O, fast startup, and large-scale fan-out. In SQLite benchmarks (2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM) it completes in 2.45s versus E2B (3.92s), Modal (4.66s), and Daytona (5.51s), and it supports snapshots, auto suspend/resume, live migration, and up to 5 million sandboxes per project.
**Can I checkpoint and resume an AI agent?**
Yes. Snapshot a running sandbox at any point to capture both memory and filesystem state, then create a new sandbox from that snapshot to pick up exactly where you left off. Sandboxes also auto-suspend when idle and resume in under a second without losing state.
**How fast do sandboxes start?**
Sandboxes are created in under a second via Lattice, a dynamic cluster scheduler. For even faster starts, use sandbox pools to keep warm containers ready to claim instantly.
**How do I run code interpreter / tool execution for an LLM agent?**
Spin up a sandbox as an isolated execution environment for an agent's tools or generated code, run commands or processes inside it, read and write files, and terminate it when done — all from the Python or TypeScript SDK, or the CLI.
**What languages and interfaces are supported?**
Tensorlake provides a Python SDK, a TypeScript SDK, and a standalone CLI (`tl`), plus an HTTP API for invoking orchestration applications.
**How do I get started?**
Sign up at [cloud.tensorlake.ai](https://cloud.tensorlake.ai/), run `pip install tensorlake` for the Python SDK, install the CLI with `curl -fsSL https://tensorlake.ai/install | sh`, set your `TENSORLAKE_API_KEY`, and create your first sandbox. See the [documentation](https://docs.tensorlake.ai) for full guides.
## Learn More
* [Sandbox Documentation](https://docs.tensorlake.ai/sandboxes/introduction)
* [Orchestrate Documentation](https://docs.tensorlake.ai/applications/quickstart)