Computer Tunnel

A computer is your own machine — laptop, desktop, or server — connected to Kortix through a permissioned reverse tunnel. A computer is not a sandbox. A sandbox is a disposable cloud machine that Kortix creates for a session. A computer is a machine you already own, and it stays connected across sessions.

Connect a machine

1. Add Computer Tunnel from the project's connector catalog.
2. Run the pairing command shown in the profile, for example npx --yes @kortix/agent-tunnel@latest connect --api-url <url>.
3. Approve the connection in your browser.
4. Select the paired machine for the profile.

Grant access

You grant access per capability: filesystem, shell, or desktop. You can scope each capability to allowed paths, commands, or desktop features. The agent gets only what you grant. A call to an ungranted capability creates a permission request. Open the machine inside its Computer Tunnel profile to approve or deny the request.

An unrestricted shell grant can run any executable available to your user. An unrestricted filesystem grant can access any path allowed by the local Agent Tunnel config. Grant the smallest path, command, feature, and expiry that the task needs.

How the agent reaches a computer

Pairing adds a machine to your account fleet. It does not grant a project access. Add Computer Tunnel from the project's connector catalog, then select one or more paired machines for that profile.

One profile can contain one machine or a group. You can create multiple profiles with different or overlapping groups. Each profile has independent agent grants and tool policies.

The list_computers tool returns only machines assigned to the active profile. Other tools accept an optional computer name or id from that result. The selector is optional when exactly one assigned machine is online.

kortix connectors call studio-computers.list_computers '{}'

kortix connectors call studio-computers.fs.read \
  '{"computer":"MacBook-Pro-9.local","path":"/etc/hosts"}'

A computer authenticates with a machine-specific setup token stored locally. The API stores only its hash. Remote connections require HTTPS/WSS. Project credentials cannot call the raw tunnel API; they must pass the selected Computer Tunnel profile, connector grant, and tool policy.

Per-machine filesystem, shell, and desktop access also lives in the tunnel permission layer. The connector policy and tunnel permission must both allow a call. The local agent enforces each tunnel permission again. Its configured allowed paths and commands are maximum access boundaries that a server grant cannot widen.

Computer Use requires a separately installed local cua-driver. Agent Tunnel does not download, install, or update that executable.

You configure Computer Tunnel profiles from the dashboard, not from kortix.yaml. Use the profile's Accounts tab to pair, select, inspect, rename, and remove machines. Use its Tools tab to configure connector policy.