boringcomputers/nehemiah

What it solves

Nehemiah provides on-demand, isolated Linux computers that can be handed to an AI agent. It solves the problem of giving AI agents a safe, ephemeral environment where they can execute code, browse the web, and interact with a desktop environment without risking the host system.

How it works

The system uses Firecracker microVMs to provide hardware-virtualized isolation, giving each machine a dedicated kernel. These VMs boot in milliseconds and are restored from memory snapshots for near-instant startup. Each guest is network-isolated behind an egress firewall and is resource-capped. The host daemon (nehemiahd) manages these machines, which can be self-destructing (TTL-based) or persistent.

Who it’s for

Developers and AI agent creators who need a secure, scalable way to let AI agents perform complex tasks like writing and serving a game, browsing the web, or running coding agents (like Claude, Cursor, or Pi) in a controlled environment.

Highlights

• Instant Boot: MicroVMs boot in milliseconds and restore from snapshots in ~3 ms.
• AI-Ready: Comes with coding agents and common tools (Node, Python, Git) preinstalled.
• Full Desktop: Provides a full Linux desktop over VNC or a headless shell.
• Agent Integration: Includes an MCP server (nehemiah-mcp) for easy integration with tools like Claude Desktop and Cursor.
• Persistent Storage: S3-backed persistent volumes that outlive the machine's lifecycle.
• Rapid Cloning: Ability to clone a running computer's exact live state in ~35 ms.