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Editor

Terminal and Sandbox

Run commands

Editor provides an integrated terminal. Agent mode can also use terminal tools to build and test your project. For manual execution, open the command palette and select Terminal: Create New Terminal. Check the working directory before entering a command. In an Agent conversation, review the command card and working directory, then run or cancel the command when prompted.

Execution settings

Open Qoder CN IDE Settings → Chat → Auto-Run → Terminal to inspect the execution policy and command list. With Ask Every Time, commands require confirmation; automatic execution depends on your configuration. For troubleshooting, see Terminal execution issues.

Sandbox

The sandbox is an isolated execution environment used in Experts Mode. It restricts file-system access when running potentially dangerous commands to reduce the risk of unintended changes to system files.

Platform requirements

  • macOS: Works out of the box with no extra configuration. Implements kernel-level isolation based on the native Seatbelt framework.
  • Windows: Implemented via a proprietary sandbox engine distributed with the IDE. Supports Windows 7 and above. Runs directly in the native Windows terminal without requiring WSL or other dependencies.
  • Linux: Requires bubblewrap (bwrap). Builds a lightweight isolated environment based on kernel user namespaces. On first use, if bwrap is missing, Qoder CN IDE will prompt and guide you through a one-click installation (auto-detecting apt / dnf / yum / pacman / zypper). If skipped, execution degrades to non-sandboxed mode with a warning.

How the sandbox works

The sandbox allows workspace operations while preventing unauthorized access:
  • File System: The workspace directory is writable, while other directories are read-only; sensitive paths like ~/.ssh are invisible to sandboxed processes.

Sandbox escalation workflow

In Experts Mode, the following may occur when a command runs in the sandbox:
  1. The command executes in the sandbox and fails.
  2. The AI analyzes the failure to determine if it was caused by sandbox restrictions.
  3. If caused by sandbox limits, the AI requests a permission escalation.
  4. Qoder CN IDE pauses and asks for your approval.
  5. Once approved, the command executes directly in the terminal (without sandbox limits).
You can choose to cancel the command, letting the Agent try a different approach; or choose to execute it in the terminal, re-running the command without sandbox restrictions.

Important notes

  • Domain-level Network Filtering: Network control is currently a coarse on/off switch.
  • Linux Container Environments: When using Qoder CN IDE inside containers like Docker, sandbox isolation is limited to file system and network isolation.
  • Windows Sandbox is User-Mode: Designed to prevent accidental writes and unintended outbound connections; it cannot fully mitigate adversarial attacks (e.g., if a process already has escalated privileges).
  • Shell Theme Compatibility: Certain shell themes (e.g., Powerlevel9k/Powerlevel10k) may interfere with terminal output. If command output appears truncated or garbled, we recommend disabling the theme or switching to a simpler prompt while the Agent is running.