Does Docker work inside a box?

Yes. Docker works out of the box — no extra setup needed. Stock boxes ship with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Docker pre-installed. You can pull images, build containers, and run docker compose like you would on any Linux server.

Which Docker or OCI images are supported?

Current OCI support focuses on public linux/amd64 Ubuntu-like images (Ubuntu, Debian, and derivatives) with apt-get available. A good starting point is docker.io/library/ubuntu:24.04 or docker.io/library/debian:bookworm-slim.

Do I need to create an account?

No. The first time you connect, your account is created automatically from your SSH key fingerprint. No registration, no email, no password required.

What happens when I disconnect?

Your box pauses. All processes, shell history, and files are preserved in a memory snapshot. Reconnect and everything resumes exactly where you left off. Billing drops to the idle rate ($0.5/month per x1 slot) while paused.

shellbox - Instant Linux Boxes and OCI-backed VMs via SSH

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Instant Linux boxes via SSH. Create stock boxes or OCI image-backed VMs, scale to zero, and pay only for what you use.

$ ssh shellbox.dev about

Scalable instances: x1 (2 vCPUs, 4GB RAM, 50GB SSD) up to x8 (16 vCPUs, 32GB RAM, 400GB SSD)
Stock boxes run Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with Docker pre-installed; OCI image-backed boxes share the same SSH-first VM workflow
Pure SSH access: no special clients or browser plugins required
Persistent state: boxes pause on disconnect and resume where you left off
Per-minute billing: $0.02/hr per x1 slot while running, $0.5/month per x1 slot while stopped
Automatic cost control: boxes stop when balance falls below $5
HTTPS endpoints: every box gets a public URL with automatic TLS
Wakeup mode: boxes auto-start on HTTP request and stop after configurable idle timeout
Cron mode: boxes wake on a schedule, run a webhook, then stop
Email endpoints: each box gets an email address that POSTs to a webhook on your box
Multi-device access: link multiple SSH keys to one account
Full SSH support including port forwarding and scp
OCI images are prepared into bootable VMs with SSH support, then cached for fast reuse
Prepaid balance with refunds for unused funds (within 3 months)

$ ssh shellbox.dev create dev1 x2

Creating box...

Box 'dev1' created successfully (x2)
URL:   https://dev1-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev
Email: dev1-a1b2c3d4@in.shellbox.dev

Connect with: ssh dev1@shellbox.dev

$ ssh shellbox.dev image prepare docker.io/library/debian:bookworm-slim

Image prepared: docker.io/library/debian:bookworm-slim
Digest: sha256:abc123...
Status: ready
Prepared rootfs: /mnt/hdd/firecracker-prepared-images/prepared-abc123.ext4

$ ssh shellbox.dev create-from-oci debbox docker.io/library/debian:bookworm-slim

Creating box...

Box 'debbox' created successfully (x1)
URL:   https://debbox-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev
Email: debbox-a1b2c3d4@in.shellbox.dev

Connect with: ssh debbox@shellbox.dev

$ ssh dev1@shellbox.dev

Starting box...
Connected!
root@dev1:~# _

$ ssh shellbox.dev list

NAME          SIZE  SRC    STATE                     URL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
dev1          x2    stock  running [keepalive]       https://dev1-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev
debbox        x1    oci    stopped                   https://debbox-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev
cronbox       x1    stock  stopped [cron 60m/5m]     https://cronbox-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev

$ ssh shellbox.dev show debbox

Name: debbox
State: stopped
Size: x1
Source: oci
Image ref: docker.io/library/debian:bookworm-slim
Image digest: sha256:abc123...

OCI-backed boxes are still normal Firecracker VMs. The image supplies the filesystem contents; Docker runtime behavior such as CMD, ENTRYPOINT, EXPOSE, and health checks is not preserved.

Current OCI support focuses on public linux/amd64 Ubuntu-like images (Ubuntu, Debian, and derivatives) with apt-get. See the FAQ for current compatibility notes.

$ ssh shellbox.dev duplicate myapp myapp-backup

Duplicating box...

Box 'myapp-backup' created from 'myapp'
URL: https://myapp-backup-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev

Connect with: ssh myapp-backup@shellbox.dev

$ ssh shellbox.dev billing

Account Balance
==============================
Funds added:     $30.00
Funds refunded:  $10.00
Usage costs:     $1.50
------------------------------
Current balance: $18.50

Remaining hours at current rates:
  Running boxes: ~925 hours
  Idle boxes:    ~26 months

$ ssh shellbox.dev funds 10

Add $10.00 to your account
========================================

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https://pay.paddle.com/...

Scan QR code or visit URL to complete payment.
Your account will be credited automatically.

$ ssh shellbox.dev key add "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3Nza...xyz ariel@work-laptop"

Key added successfully
══════════════════════════════════════
Fingerprint: SHA256:xK4r...9Qm2
Type:        ssh-ed25519
Comment:     ariel@work-laptop

This key can now manage your boxes.

$ ssh shellbox.dev help

Instant Linux boxes via SSH. Manage stock boxes, OCI-backed boxes, and billing through simple commands. Minimum top-up: $10. Boxes stop when balance falls below $5, deleted at $0.

Command	Description
create <name> [xN]	Create a new stock box (x1-x8 size, default x1)
create-from-oci <name> <image-ref> [xN]	Create a box from a prepared OCI image
duplicate <src> <name>	Copy a stopped box
rename <name> <new>	Rename a box
list	List your boxes with source, status, and URLs
show <name>	Show detailed box metadata
image <prepare\|status> <image-ref>	Prepare and inspect OCI image cache entries
ssh <name>@shellbox.dev	Connect to a box
keepalive <name>	Toggle keepalive (box stays running on disconnect)
wakeup <name> [min]	Toggle wakeup (auto-start on HTTP, stop after idle)
cron <name> <int> [run]	Toggle cron (periodic wake, run webhook, stop)
stop <name>	Force-stop a running box (clears keepalive, preserves wakeup/cron)
delete <name>	Permanently remove a box
key [list\|add\|remove]	Manage SSH keys for multi-device access
billing	Show balance and usage
funds <amount>	Add funds to your account (min $10)
refund <amount>	Refund unused balance
payments	Show payment history
promocode <code>	Redeem a promo code for free credits
help	Show available commands

$ # file transfer:

$ scp file.txt dev1@shellbox.dev:/root/

$ scp dev1@shellbox.dev:/root/file.txt ./

$ sftp dev1@shellbox.dev

Full SFTP support enables IDE integration with VSCode Remote SSH and Zed.

$ # email endpoint:

Each box has an email address (e.g. dev1-a1b2c3d4@in.shellbox.dev). Inbound mail reception is handled by Cloudflare, which forwards incoming mail to https://dev1-a1b2c3d4.shellbox.dev/email on your box.

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