clawk gives AI coding agents a disposable, restricted Linux VM
clawk is an open-source tool that gives such as Claude Code and Codex a disposable Linux VM for each project. Inside the VM, an agent can install software, start servers, and run untrusted code with full control, while the rest of the user's files and stored keys remain out of reach. An allow-list limits which outside services the agent can contact, and blocked connection attempts can be reviewed.
Project code and agent conversations remain on the host computer, so a damaged VM can be deleted and rebuilt without losing the work or chat history. It starts from a project folder with one command and needs neither Docker nor a ; any OCI image can supply the Linux environment. For work spanning several repositories, it can create a separate worktree and branch for each repository and later open coordinated .
Idle VMs reduce their memory use to about 1 GB and stop automatically after 30 minutes. The main supported setup is running macOS 14 or later; Linux support is experimental, and Windows is not supported.
Key points
- run in a disposable VM separated from the user's main computer.
- An allow-list restricts outside connections and records blocked attempts.
- Deleting the VM does not remove the project or saved agent conversations.
- OCI images provide Linux environments without requiring Docker.
- Idle VMs reduce memory use and stop automatically after 30 minutes.