Coop

Coop is a Rust CLI that manages disposable virtual machines for running coding agents safely.

Coop is a Rust CLI tool that manages disposable virtual machines for running tools like Claude Code, Codex, and Grok Build safely. It gives these agents full tool access, including Docker, git, compilers, and package managers, without risking your host machine. Each virtual machine is isolated, reproducible, and cheap to create and destroy. It is designed for developers who want to run AI coding agents securely with proper environment isolation. The software supports macOS and Linux through backends like Firecracker and Lima.

Coop at a glance

Best for: Software engineer
Runs on: CLI, macOS, Linux, open source
Pricing: Free
Released: April 2026
Category: AI coding tool
Website: github.com/trailofbits/coop

Key features

Manages disposable virtual machines
Provides full tool access to AI agents
Isolates workloads from host machines
Supports Nix builds and installation
Integrates with Claude Code, Codex, and Grok Build
Syncs workspaces
Offers multi-instance support

Use it for

Running Claude Code securely in an isolated environment
Executing Codex without risking the host machine
Managing disposable virtual machines for development tasks

Companions

Tools that articles about Coop recommend using with it, each with its job.

Claude Code — Terminal-first agent that handles multi-hour refactors and migrations
Codex — A parallel Codex thread in the same window.
OpenCode — Works with 75+ model providers, local models, and existing subscriptions
Amp — Any CLI agent can sit in the Agent Panel beside the code.
Ghostty — Terminal Threads don't replace a real terminal.

Alternatives to Coop

jevgrep — Reduces coding agent costs by providing targeted, relevant repository context.
Graphicle — Maps your repository into a code graph and remembers project docs locally.
Zed — Very fast native editor with parallel agents and multiplayer
BeautifulRust — It improves agent output using guidelines from five major Rust sources.
Claude Squad — Manages multiple AI agents in isolated git worktrees.
AI Sandboxes by Buddy — Stateful virtual machines with persistent disks and public HTTPS endpoints.
CodeGraph — It eliminates file crawling, reducing AI agent tool calls by 88% and cutting costs.
pmtui — Manages long-running agent sessions with an automated heartbeat and dashboard.
Rig — It provides a unified API across 20+ providers with type-safe tools.
Coucou — It provides open-source, real-time agent monitoring and approvals directly from the screen notch.
Collaborator — Runs coding agents on a persistent cloud machine separate from a local device.
CLI Dispatch — Runs alternative AI models as workers from inside Claude Code.

All Coop alternatives