Sandbox
Published Updated
What is Sandbox?
Orbit’s Sandbox runs a prompt in an isolated Git worktree instead of on your main branch. When it finishes you review the cumulative diff and either promote the work into your default branch or discard it.
A safe testing space where prompts run on a sandbox branch without affecting your main code. Promote to live or discard the whole session.
Sandbox Mode lets you queue prompts to a sandbox branch instead of your main code. Each session runs as a series of prompts in an isolated worktree. When done, you can review the cumulative diff, then either Promote (merge to main) or Discard (throw it all away, no cleanup needed). Useful for risky changes you want to test before committing.
How it relates to Orbit
Orbit runs sandboxed prompts in isolated Git worktrees and lets you promote or discard the result. See Sandbox for details.
When you would use it
You use Sandbox Mode when you want to try something risky, are unsure if a prompt will work well, or want to batch several related changes for a single review-and-promote cycle.
Common operations
- Trying experimental refactors safely
- Running prompts that might break things, with guaranteed rollback
- Testing AI-generated code in isolation before promotion
Frequently asked questions
How do I run a prompt in the Sandbox?
Choose Sandbox in the New Prompt modal’s “Run In: Live | Sandbox” selector, or point a queued prompt at a healthy session. See Run a Prompt in a Sandbox.
What does promoting a sandbox do?
It merges the session’s work into your default branch through a throwaway temporary worktree. Discarding throws the whole session away with no cleanup needed.
What if a sandbox session freezes?
Use the titlebar button, the banner action or Ctrl+Shift+X; Orbit also exits automatically after three failed starts. See Sandbox Issues.
Related terms
Where this is taught
No learning path uses this term yet. Browse the Learning Atlas for guided sequences through related ideas.