Dev container

A dev container describes everything a project needs to run, including the base image, tools, language versions, and editor settings, in a devcontainer.json file that follows an open specification. Editors such as VS Code, and cloud environments such as GitHub Codespaces, can open a project inside that container.

For agent work, the appeal is isolation. An agent running inside a container can install packages and run commands without touching your main machine, and you can restrict its network access. Some coding agent vendors publish reference dev container setups for exactly this reason.

A container reduces risk but does not remove it. Anything you mount or pass in, such as source code, credentials, or network access, is still reachable. Keep secrets out, limit outbound connections, and treat the container as disposable.