Sandbox
Also: sandboxing
A sealed-off space where an AI or a program can run without touching your real files or systems.
The fuller definition
A sandbox is a restricted execution environment intended to limit a program's access to resources and the effects it can have outside that environment.
- Program
Untrusted operations
- Boundary
Restricted resources
- Outside
Protected environment
A simplified relationship, not a screenshot or a complete design.
A concrete example
Generated code runs with access only to a temporary folder and without network access.
The distinction that matters
Isolation depends on the implementation and configuration; the word sandbox alone establishes little.
Related terms
Permission
What an AI system is allowed to see or do, set by the people who run it.
Hardware & hostingContainer
A packaged-up program with everything it needs, so it runs the same way on any computer.
Reliability & securityLeast privilege
Giving a system only the access it needs for the job, and nothing more.
Where it is taught
Prompts, skills, workflows, and agentsSource and further reading
Anthropic · Building effective agentsThe definition and example are written for this library. The link gives background, official documentation or legal authority as labelled. Legal scope depends on the jurisdiction and current text; product features depend on release and settings.