openclaw
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Multi-channel AI gateway with extensible messaging integrations
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Markdown
---
summary: "What each sandbox backend supports for shell, files, workspace, network, browser, and plugin tools"
title: "Supported capability matrix"
read_when: "You are comparing Docker, SSH, and OpenShell before choosing a backend."
---
A per-backend comparison of sandbox capabilities, and the Gateway-side execution that stays outside the sandbox boundary.
## Supported capability matrix
Sandbox backends isolate tool execution. They do not move the Gateway, native
plugins, or control-plane RPC into the sandbox.
| Capability | Docker | SSH | OpenShell |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Shell and child processes | Supported inside the container | Supported on the remote host | Supported inside the managed sandbox |
| File tools | Supported through the container filesystem bridge | Supported through the SSH filesystem bridge | Supported through the SSH bridge in `mirror` or `remote` mode |
| Workspace access | `none`, `ro`, and `rw` | `none`, `ro`, and `rw` | `none`, `ro`, and `rw` |
| Network restriction | `docker.network`; defaults to `"none"` | Controlled by the remote host | Controlled by the selected OpenShell policy |
| Sandboxed browser | Supported in a separate browser container | Not supported | Not supported |
| Additional host folders | `docker.binds` with explicit `:ro` or `:rw` | Not supported as mounts; seed or copy files instead | Not supported as mounts; use workspace sync or remote files |
| Packages and runtimes | Bake a custom image, or use `setupCommand` with the required privileges | Provision them on the remote host | Include them in the source image or install when policy permits |
| Private certificate roots | Bake or mount them into the image and configure the consuming runtime | Configure the remote host trust store | Include them in the source image or configure them inside sandbox |
| Plugin and MCP tool access | Gateway-side execution, additionally gated by sandbox tool policy | Gateway-side execution, additionally gated by policy | Gateway-side execution, additionally gated by sandbox tool policy |
Native plugins remain in-process with the Gateway and share its trust boundary.
Sandboxed sessions can use plugin-owned and MCP tools only when normal tool
policy and `tools.sandbox.tools` both allow them. See
[MCP and plugin tools inside sandbox tool policy](/gateway/config-tools#mcp-and-plugin-tools-inside-sandbox-tool-policy)
and [Plugin execution model](/plugins/architecture#execution-model).