AHVM runs stateful Linux microVMs on hardware you control. Shells that reattach, files that stay put, memory you can checkpoint. A real computer for every coding agent, experiment and side quest.
curl -fsSL https://ahvm.app/install.sh | bash
01 Why a machine
02 How it fits together
The client talks to your host over SSH. The daemon runs microVMs on KVM. No domain, no public API port, and the admin token never leaves the server.
ahvm use home
Prefer not to run a server? AHVM Cloud is in invitation-only early access. Same CLI: ahvm use cloud.
03 The primitives
Execute commands through the CLI or HTTP API, with output and exit codes ready for your automation. --json and redirected stdio never open an interactive shell, so scripts stay scripts.
❯ ahvm exec dev -- ahvm-dev npm test ❯ ahvm exec dev -- ahvm-dev git status ❯ ahvm create ci-01 --json # never opens a shell
Persistent terminal sessions with live input, resize and detach. Ctrl ] detaches without ending anything. Your session, and the agent in it, can outlive the client.
❯ ahvm shell dev ahvm@dev:/workspace$ claude … agent working. Ctrl-] to detach. ❯ ahvm shell dev # later, from anywhere
Stream large uploads without a fixed file-size cap. The guest file is replaced only when the transfer completes, so an interrupted upload never clobbers the original.
❯ ahvm files put dev ./dataset.tar /workspace/dataset.tar ❯ ahvm files get dev /workspace/report.md ./report.md
Save disk and memory state before the risky part. Restore a checkpoint as a new sandbox, or stop and start from saved state. Let the agent try the bold refactor.
❯ ahvm snapshot create dev before-change ❯ ahvm stop dev # disk + memory checkpoint ❯ ahvm start dev # back where you were
Authenticated HTTP previews and WebSocket forwarding for your guest applications. Private TCP access is explicit, never accidental.
ahvm@dev:/workspace$ bun run dev --port 3000 → authenticated HTTP preview → WebSockets forwarded raw TCP: only when you ask for it
Some agents need a desktop. Pull a desktop image, create a machine and open it at the resolution you want. Desktop VMs use disk-only stop and start.
❯ ahvm image pull omarchy-desktop ❯ ahvm create omarchy --image omarchy-desktop --no-shell ❯ ahvm desktop omarchy --resolution 1080p
Save connections to your own hosts and switch with one word. Names belong to their connection; AHVM never goes looking on other hosts behind your back.
❯ ahvm host add home --ssh root@192.168.1.50 --install ❯ ahvm use home ❯ ahvm --context home list # one-off override
04 Lifecycle
Idle machines give their resources back on their own. Nothing is ever deleted unless you say so.
Commands, shells, file transfers and managed agent jobs. Connected shells keep it awake, even quiet ones.
RAM and disk stay resident for a near-instant resume. The next guest command wakes it automatically.
Memory is released. Disk and a memory checkpoint are kept. ahvm start brings it back.
Timeouts are the defaults and configurable by the operator. Local snapshots are not off-host backups. Hosts configured for replicated storage add optional remote disk durability.
05 Get started
On your Mac or Linux machine. Needs curl, gzip and Python 3. Prefer Homebrew? brew install mariobm/ahvm/ahvm
curl -fsSL https://ahvm.app/install.sh | bash
Provisions AHVM over SSH. The Ubuntu image downloads straight to the server. Linux x86_64 with KVM and glibc 2.35+.
❯ ahvm host add home --ssh root@YOUR_IP --install
Bash opens inside the VM as the ahvm user in /workspace. Type exit and it keeps running.
❯ ahvm create dev --cpus 2 --memory 4096
06 Choose your home
Run it yourself, let us host it, or get your team set up with a hand from us.
€0/ software
Your host. Your tools. Your control.
Free up to $1M worldwide ARR, including affiliates. License terms ↗
Hosting and AI usage are separate.
Invite onlyPricing announced before launch
An agent workspace, minus the server setup.
Invitation-only pilot in development.
Launch pricing and allowances are tentative.
€299/ month, from
A dedicated host. Hands-on guidance.
Management fee only. Infrastructure, AI usage and taxes are additional. Three pilot places.
Self-hosted. You manage hosting, updates and backups. Above $1 million worldwide ARR, including affiliates, a paid commercial software license is required. Read the full license terms ↗
Team pilot. Scope, capacity, onboarding costs and duration are agreed before you start. The management fee does not include an above-threshold commercial software license.
Cloud. Pricing, resource allowances and availability will be announced before launch. AI model usage is separate and billed by your provider.
First in line
Get one email when AHVM Cloud opens its doors. Nothing else.
A different setup in mind? Let’s talk ↗
07 Good questions
AHVM is available to self-host today. AHVM Cloud is our upcoming hosted service for developers who want to use our infrastructure, with an invitation-only pilot underway. Pricing and resource allowances will be announced before launch. Teams can also discuss a separate paid pilot for dedicated host setup and hands-on support.
Yes. New sandboxes include Ubuntu, Node.js LTS, Bun, Python, Git, Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Pi. Sign in with your own provider account or API key.
A normal stop saves a local disk and memory snapshot for the next start. Idle-stop is automatic; starting again is explicit. Worker recovery uses the latest saved checkpoint, not unsaved RAM. Local snapshots are not off-host backups.
The current runtime uses libkrucible, our libkrun fork. The qualified server bundle is Linux x86_64/KVM. Standalone clients are available for Apple Silicon Macs and Linux x86_64. A macOS server package and a Firecracker backend are not included.
This is an early release for evaluation on your own hardware. We’re improving the development experience before the first stable release. It is not a production security sign-off for hostile multi-tenant workloads.