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https://github.com/dagger/container-use

Development environments for coding agents. Enable multiple agents to work safely and independently with your preferred stack.
https://github.com/dagger/container-use

Last synced: 4 months ago
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Development environments for coding agents. Enable multiple agents to work safely and independently with your preferred stack.

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README 

          


  Container use: Development environments for coding agents.

  
container-use

  


Containerized environments for coding agents. (📦🤖) (📦🤖) (📦🤖)


  


    Experimental

    

      

    

    

      Discord

    

  





**Container Use** lets each of your coding agents have their own containerized environment. Go from babysitting one agent at a time to enabling multiple agents to work safely and independently with your preferred stack.





    container-use demo




It's an open-source MCP server that works as a CLI tool with Claude Code, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible agents.



* 📦 **Isolated Environments**: Each agent gets a fresh container in its own git branch - run multiple agents without conflicts, experiment safely, discard failures instantly.

* 👀 **Real-time Visibility**: See complete command history and logs of what agents actually did, not just what they claim.

* 🚁 **Direct Intervention**: Drop into any agent's terminal to see their state and take control when they get stuck.

* 🎮 **Environment Control**: Standard git workflow - just `git checkout ` to review any agent's work.

* 🌎 **Universal Compatibility**: Works with any agent, model, or infrastructure - no vendor lock-in.



---



🦺 This project is in early development and actively evolving. Expect rough edges, breaking changes, and incomplete documentation. But also expect rapid iteration and responsiveness to feedback.



---



## Install



```sh

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dagger/container-use/main/install.sh | bash

```



This will check for Docker & Git (required), detect your platform, and install the latest `cu` binary to your `$PATH`.



## Building



To build the `cu` binary without installing it to your `$PATH`, you can use either Dagger or Go directly:



### Using Go



```sh

go build -o cu ./cmd/cu

```



### Using Dagger



```sh

dagger call build --platform=current export --path ./cu

```



## Integrate Agents



Enabling `container-use` requires 2 steps:



1. Adding an MCP configuration for `container-use` corresponding to the repository.

2. (Optional) Adding a rule so the agent uses containarized environments.



### [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/tutorials#set-up-model-context-protocol-mcp)



Add the container-use MCP:



```sh

cd /path/to/repository

npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code mcp add container-use --  stdio

```



Save the CLAUDE.md file at the root of the repository. Alternatively, merge the instructions into your own CLAUDE.md.



```sh

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dagger/container-use/main/rules/agent.md >> CLAUDE.md

```



### [goose](https://block.github.io/goose/docs/getting-started/using-extensions#mcp-servers)



Add this to `~/.config/goose/config.yaml`:



```yaml

extensions:

  container-use:

    name: container-use

    type: stdio

    enabled: true

    cmd: cu

    args:

    - stdio

    envs: {}

```



### [Cursor](https://docs.cursor.com/context/model-context-protocol)



```sh

curl --create-dirs -o .cursor/rules/container-use.mdc https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dagger/container-use/main/rules/cursor.mdc

```



### [VSCode](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers) / [GitHub Copilot](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/customizing-copilot/extending-copilot-chat-with-mcp)



The result of the instructions above will be to update your VSCode settings with something that looks like this:



```json

    "mcp": {

        "servers": {

            "container-use": {

                "type": "stdio",

                "command": "cu",

                "args": [

                    "stdio"

                ]

            }

        }

    }

```



Once the MCP server is running, you can optionally) update the instructions for copilot using the following:



```sh

curl --create-dirs -o .github/copilot-instructions.md https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dagger/container-use/main/rules/agent.md

```



### [Kilo Code](https://kilocode.ai/docs/features/mcp/using-mcp-in-kilo-code)



`Kilo Code` allows setting MCP servers at the global or project level.



```json

{

  "mcpServers": {

    "container-use": {

      "command": "replace with pathname of cu",

      "args": [

        "stdio"

      ],

      "env": {},

      "alwaysAllow": [],

      "disabled": false

    }

  }

}

```



## Examples



| Example | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| [hello_world.md](examples/hello_world.md) | Creates a simple app and runs it, accessible via localhost HTTP URL |

| [parallel.md](examples/parallel.md) | Creates and serves two variations of a hello world app (Flask and FastAPI) on different URLs |

| [security.md](examples/security.md) | Security scanning example that checks for updates/vulnerabilities in the repository, applies updates, verifies builds still work, and generates patch file |



### Run with [Claude Code](https://www.anthropic.com/claude-code)



```console

cat ./examples/hello_world.md | claude --dangerously-skip-permissions

```



### Run with [goose](https://block.github.io/goose/)



```console

goose run -i ./examples/hello_world.md -s

```



### Run with [Kilo Code](https://kilocode.ai/) in `vscode`



Prompt as in `parallel.md` but add a sentence 'use container-use mcp'



## Watch your agents work



Your agents will automatically commit to a container-use remote on your local filesystem. You can watch the progress of your agents in real time by running:



```console

cu watch

```



## How it Works



container-use is an Model Context Protocol server that provides Environments to an agent. Environments are an abstraction over containers and git branches powered by dagger and git worktrees. For more information, see [environment/README.md](environment/README.md).