---
slug: "smolvm"
name: "smolvm"
effect: "Runs agent workloads in local microVMs with their own kernel, which you can checkpoint, branch and pack"
category: "sandbox"
tier: "rising"
url: "https://smolmachines.com"
github: "smol-machines/smolvm"
pricing: "open-source"
license: "Apache-2.0"
tags: ["microvm", "sandbox", "oci", "checkpoints", "sdk", "cli"]
platforms: ["macos", "linux", "windows"]
install_kind: "cli"
date_added: "2026-10-15"
rank: 12
rising_score: 49
stars: 6729
star_velocity: 22.4
velocity_basis: "since creation"
created_at: "2025-12-18T23:25:15Z"
pushed_at: "2026-10-15T05:01:30Z"
signals_status: "ok"
signals_fetched_at: "2026-10-15T05:02:34.615Z"
page: "https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/smolvm"
---

# smolvm

Runs agent workloads in local microVMs with their own kernel, which you can checkpoint, branch and pack

Category: Sandboxes. Tier: new and rising, rank 12 by new and rising score (49 of 100). Pricing: Open source. License: Apache-2.0.

Platforms: macos, linux, windows.

## Why you would want it

smolvm boots any OCI image as a hardware-virtualized VM with its own guest kernel, using Hypervisor.framework on macOS, KVM on Linux or the Windows Hypervisor Platform, with no Docker daemon. Networking is off by default, egress can be limited to named hosts, and credential substitution lets code use a secret without reading it. A running machine can be checkpointed, rewound or branched into copy-on-write copies, packed into a single .smolmachine file, and driven from Node, Python or Rust SDKs that run in your process without a daemon.

## Best for

- Running untrusted agent code on your own machine
- Branching an agent's environment mid-run
- Embedding VMs in your own app

## Use it when

You want each agent task in a real VM on your laptop or server, with egress allow lists and the option to snapshot or branch the machine.

## Skip it if

Containers or a hosted sandbox already give you enough isolation. The README calls safety a shared responsibility: every folder you mount, port you open, host you allow and secret you forward becomes usable by the workload. GPU acceleration is unavailable on Windows, and Intel macOS is marked untested.

## Editor note

The README says smolvm is the open-source runtime behind smol machines and is not affiliated with other projects named SmolVM.

## Install

Install with Homebrew or the install script:

```sh
brew install smol-machines/tap/smolvm                  # macOS (Homebrew)
curl -sSL https://smolmachines.com/install.sh | bash   # macOS + Linux
```

Source: https://github.com/smol-machines/smolvm#install

## Live signals

Fetched 2026-10-15T05:02:34.615Z (status: ok).

- Repository: smol-machines/smolvm
- Repository created: 2025-12-18
- Stars: 6,729 (GitHub's count; it cannot be authenticated)
- Stars per day, since repo creation: 22.4 (an average over the repo's life, not a growth rate)
- Forks: 330
- Open issues and PRs: 93
- License (GitHub): Apache-2.0
- Last push: 2026-10-15
- Latest release: v1.28.1 (2026-10-14)

## Links

- Website: https://smolmachines.com
- GitHub: https://github.com/smol-machines/smolvm
- Install instructions verified at: https://github.com/smol-machines/smolvm#install
- Source for this entry: https://github.com/smol-machines/smolvm#readme
- AgentToolDrop page: https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/smolvm
- Full catalog (JSON): https://agenttooldrop.com/tools.json