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Use Copilot Agent Host sandboxing when you need configurable limits on agent-run processes without changing your project environment. Use a Dev Container when the agent and workspace tools must run inside the project’s containerized toolchain. You can combine them when you need both, but neither option is a complete security boundary.
The practical choice depends on where the agent runs, which tools are covered, how filesystem and network access are granted, and whether you can accept the current experimental status of Agent Host sessions inside Dev Containers.
Quick decision: sandbox, Dev Container, or both?
| Choose | What changes | Best fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copilot Agent Host sandboxing | Restricts filesystem and network access for supported terminal processes and their child processes on the execution host. Agent Host-managed MCP servers and language servers can also be covered when their settings are enabled. | You want adjustable process restrictions while keeping the project on the host. | It is not a virtual machine or user-account boundary, does not cover built-in read/edit/write tools, and permits outbound network access by default. |
| Dev Container | Runs the Agent Host and workspace tools inside the project’s configured container. | Your dependencies, compilers, SDKs, and scripts are already defined in a Dev Container. | Mounts, privileges, and networking determine what the container can reach. The VS Code Agent Host workflow is experimental. |
| Both | Combines the containerized development environment with sandbox controls for the processes those controls cover. | You need reproducible project tooling plus an additional restriction layer. | You must review both configurations, approvals, secrets, mounts, and network rules; the combination is not a guarantee of total isolation. |
For a familiar project, start with Agent Host sandboxing if your main concern is limiting shell commands. For a project whose tools are already containerized, use the Dev Container workflow after checking its configuration. For unfamiliar code, begin in Restricted Mode, inspect the project, and trust it only when you understand what it will execute.
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Agent Host sandboxing is a process-level control. It applies primarily to shell commands launched by an Agent Host session and to the child processes those commands start. Depending on the corresponding settings, it can also apply to MCP servers and language servers that the Agent Host launches or manages.
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The setting chat.agent.sandbox.enabled controls the feature, and the documented default is off. Turning on a broad permission level such as “Allow all” does not by itself remove sandbox restrictions from covered processes. A separate confirmation path can allow an unsandboxed command if that fallback remains enabled, so review that option when you are designing a strict policy.
Filesystem permissions
The sandbox limits covered processes to the filesystem locations you permit. This can reduce the chance that an agent-run command reads or changes unrelated directories, but it does not automatically constrain every action in the VS Code agent experience. Built-in read, edit, and write tools that do not start operating-system processes use VS Code’s separate permission checks.
Extra allowed paths can weaken the boundary. Treat a permission for a home-directory folder, credential store, mounted source tree, or shared build cache as an explicit expansion of what the agent can reach.
Network permissions
Outbound network access is enabled by default in the documented setting: chat.agent.sandbox.network.allowNetwork defaults to true. Configure network access deliberately rather than assuming that enabling the sandbox blocks internet traffic.
VS Code provides controls for allowed or denied domains and separate controls for local-network access. The exact filtering behavior depends on the platform and terminal implementation, so do not assume that every session enforces domains in an identical way. If a task does not need downloads, package registries, remote APIs, or local services, disable or narrow those paths.
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What the sandbox does not provide
- It is not a virtual machine.
- It is not a separate operating-system user account.
- It does not replace endpoint security, application approvals, or secret-management controls.
- It does not automatically sandbox built-in agent tools that perform file operations through VS Code’s own permission system.
- Injected credentials, broad path allowances, developer-tool access, network permissions, and an unsandboxed fallback can all reduce isolation.
Prerequisites and platform differences for Agent Host sandboxing
VS Code lists different requirements by execution platform:
| Execution platform | Documented prerequisite |
|---|---|
| macOS | No additional prerequisite is listed. |
| Linux and WSL2 | bubblewrap and socat. |
| Windows | The applicable September 8, 2026 Windows security update listed in the Agent Host sandbox documentation. |
| WSL1 | Unsupported. |
For a connected remote Agent Host, install and verify prerequisites on the host that executes the processes. Having the tools on your local VS Code client is not sufficient if commands actually run on another machine.
What a Dev Container changes
A Dev Container changes the execution location. The Agent Host and workspace tools run inside the project’s configured container on the local machine or on a supported connected host. The container can provide a fixed operating-system image, compilers, language runtimes, package managers, command-line utilities, and project-specific environment variables.
This is different from terminal sandboxing, which restricts access for processes on an existing host, and from a Git worktree, which separates source changes without creating an execution boundary.
The container boundary is defined by configuration
A container is not automatically disconnected from its host or from the network. Its effective boundary depends on the project configuration and runtime options, including:
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- Host folders mounted into the container.
- Container user and group permissions.
- Privileged flags and access to host devices.
- Environment variables and injected secrets.
- Network mode, published ports, DNS, and reachable local services.
- Whether package caches or credential directories are mounted.
Read the Dev Container configuration before trusting an unfamiliar project. A container with a broad host mount or a powerful user can expose more than its name suggests.
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Current status of Agent Host sessions in Dev Containers
As documented on October 13, 2026, running an Agent Host session in a Dev Container is marked experimental in the VS Code desktop Agents window. Availability is rolling out gradually and the workflow may change or be removed.
The documented flow requires all of the following:
- Docker installed and running on the machine that contains the project folder.
- A project configuration at
.devcontainer/devcontainer.jsonor.devcontainer.json. - For remote folders, Docker running on the remote host and a connection that supports Dev Container execution.
- Use of the desktop Agents window; the documented flow is not described as a universal experience across every VS Code surface.
The Agent Host works directly in the container workspace, and this session cannot be combined with the New Worktree option. Plan your source-control workflow accordingly.
Sandboxing and Dev Containers compared by the questions that matter
| Question | Agent Host sandboxing | Dev Container |
|---|---|---|
| Where does code execution occur? | On the selected execution host, with restrictions applied to supported processes. | Inside the project’s configured container on the local or supported remote host. |
| What is primarily controlled? | Filesystem and network access for covered processes and child processes. | The complete tool environment exposed inside the container, subject to mounts, privileges, and networking. |
| Are built-in file tools covered automatically? | No. They use separate VS Code permission checks. | They run in the container workspace, but access still follows the container’s mounts and permissions. |
| Is internet access blocked by default? | No. The documented network default is allowed. | Not inherently. Container networking determines reachability. |
| Does it require project configuration? | Not necessarily; it is controlled through VS Code settings and platform prerequisites. | Yes, a Dev Container configuration is required for the documented Agent Host flow. |
| What is the maturity level? | Documented sandbox feature with platform-specific prerequisites. | Agent Host inside a Dev Container is experimental as of October 13, 2026. |
| Can the approaches be combined? | Yes, where the selected session and platform support both. Review the container and sandbox policies together. | |
How to choose for common project situations
You trust the repository and only need to limit shell commands
Enable Agent Host sandboxing and set the smallest filesystem and network permissions that let the task finish. This avoids moving the project into a different tool environment while constraining commands such as builds, tests, formatters, and scripts.
The repository already defines its development environment
Use the Dev Container when reproducibility is the priority: the project may depend on a specific compiler, runtime, system package, or service arrangement. Before starting an Agent Host session there, inspect mounts, user privileges, network mode, and secret injection. Accept the experimental status if that trade-off is appropriate for your team.
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You are exploring unfamiliar code
Open the folder in Restricted Mode first. Workspace Trust is separate from process sandboxing: Restricted Mode limits execution-capable features and disables agents until the workspace is trusted. Review container files, scripts, MCP configuration, dependency installation commands, and task definitions before granting trust.
The task needs access to private services or credentials
Use the narrowest possible approvals and network permissions. Decide whether the process really needs each credential, mount, registry, database, or local service. Keep sensitive-file protections active, and do not treat a container as safe merely because it is a container.
You need both a reproducible toolchain and process restrictions
Run the project in its Dev Container and enable sandbox controls for the processes covered by the Agent Host settings. This can address two different concerns: the container supplies the intended tools, while sandbox rules limit what supported processes can access. Verify the interaction on your platform before relying on it for sensitive work.
Step-by-step: configure Agent Host sandboxing
- Confirm the execution host. Determine whether commands will run locally or through a connected remote Agent Host. Install platform prerequisites on that host, not only on the client.
- Enable the sandbox. In VS Code Settings, search for the Agent Host sandbox setting and enable
chat.agent.sandbox.enabled. - Define filesystem access. Allow only the project directory and the specific caches or tool directories required by the task. Avoid broad home-directory or credential-store permissions.
- Configure network access. Review
chat.agent.sandbox.network.allowNetwork. If network access is unnecessary, turn it off; otherwise narrow domains and decide separately whether local-network access is needed. - Review unsandboxed fallback. If VS Code can offer an unsandboxed command after confirmation, decide whether that exception is acceptable. Disable the fallback when a hard restriction is required.
- Check non-process tools. Remember that built-in read, edit, and write operations follow separate permission checks. Configure approvals and sensitive-file protections for those tools.
- Run a low-risk verification. Start with a harmless command that checks the intended working directory and expected project access. Confirm that denied paths and unnecessary network requests are actually refused before running a consequential task.
Step-by-step: use an Agent Host inside a Dev Container
- Inspect the project configuration. Open
.devcontainer/devcontainer.jsonor.devcontainer.jsonand review the image, features, mounts, users, environment variables, forwarded ports, and network settings. - Install and start Docker. Docker must be running on the machine that contains the project folder. For a remote project, verify Docker on the remote host.
- Open the desktop Agents window. The documented Agent Host Dev Container flow is available there and is rolling out gradually.
- Choose the Dev Container session. Let VS Code build or open the configured container, then verify that the terminal, workspace tools, and expected project paths are inside it.
- Check permissions before authorizing work. Confirm which host folders are mounted, which user the agent uses, whether network access is open, and where credentials are visible.
- Run the task and inspect changes. Review generated edits, command output, deployments, and external-service effects before accepting them. This mode cannot be combined with New Worktree.
Using both layers safely
Combining the approaches is useful when the project needs a containerized compiler stack but agent-run processes also need tighter access controls. Treat the configuration as two policies that must agree:
- The Dev Container decides the available filesystem, users, devices, mounts, environment variables, and network topology.
- The Agent Host sandbox decides restrictions for the supported processes it covers on that execution path.
- VS Code approvals govern actions outside those process restrictions, including built-in tools and any permitted unsandboxed fallback.
A permissive container can undermine the benefit of a narrow sandbox, while a restrictive sandbox can prevent legitimate builds or dependency downloads. Test the complete workflow with a non-sensitive project before applying it to production credentials or private infrastructure.
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Workspace Trust, approvals, and review are separate controls
Workspace Trust answers whether project-provided features and tools should be allowed to run. It does not answer whether a shell process is sandboxed or whether tools are inside a container. VS Code opens unfamiliar workspaces in Restricted Mode; agents remain disabled until the workspace is trusted.
For projects you do not know, inspect setup scripts, task definitions, container files, MCP server configuration, dependency hooks, and deployment commands before trusting the folder. Keep automatic approvals scoped to the current session and protect sensitive files.
Review generated code before committing. Also review commands and their effects, not only the final diff. Visual Studio Code’s security documentation warns: “Stopping a request or restoring workspace files doesn’t reverse completed terminal commands, network requests, deployments, or changes to external services.” The same documentation says: “Always review AI-generated code before committing.” These are operational warnings: cancellation is not rollback, and a clean-looking diff does not prove that no external action occurred.
Troubleshooting and failure modes
The sandbox option is missing or has no effect
- Check that the setting is enabled in the profile used by the active Agent Host.
- Verify the execution host and platform prerequisites.
- Remember that built-in read/edit/write tools are outside the process sandbox.
- Check whether the command was explicitly allowed through an unsandboxed fallback.
A command cannot download a dependency
Inspect the network setting and domain rules. Outbound access is allowed by default, but a narrowed policy may block a package registry or API. Add only the required destination, and distinguish internet access from local-network access.
The container cannot reach a host service
Review container network mode, forwarded ports, DNS, and whether the service is bound to an address reachable from the container. Do not solve the problem by mounting unrelated host directories or granting broad privileges.
The agent sees files you expected to be hidden
Inspect Dev Container mounts, workspace location, environment variables, and extra sandbox paths. A mounted host folder is intentionally visible inside the container, and built-in tools may follow separate permissions.
The Agent Host Dev Container option is unavailable
The workflow is experimental and rolling out gradually. Confirm that you are using the desktop Agents window, Docker is running on the project host, and a valid Dev Container configuration exists. Remote sessions also require Dev Container support on the connection and Docker on the remote machine.
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- Identify where the Agent Host actually executes.
- Decide whether you need process restrictions, a project-defined toolchain, or both.
- Review filesystem mounts and allowed paths.
- Set network access explicitly; do not rely on the default.
- Install and verify platform prerequisites on the execution host.
- Keep Workspace Trust in Restricted Mode while inspecting unfamiliar code.
- Review MCP configuration and secret exposure.
- Keep approvals and sensitive-file protections enabled.
- Inspect diffs, command output, deployments, and external-service changes before integration.
Bottom line
Choose Agent Host sandboxing when the main requirement is configurable limits on agent-run processes. Choose a Dev Container when the project environment itself must be defined by a container. Choose both when you need the container’s reproducible tools and an additional restriction layer. In every case, verify mounts, permissions, network access, credentials, trust state, and approvals; neither feature alone is a complete isolation guarantee.
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