> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.orchard.airoverflow.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.orchard.airoverflow.com/guides/sandbox-lifecycle.md).

# Sandbox lifecycle

A sandbox is one virtual device. It has a stable **uuid**, a **name**, a **state** (`stopped` / `booting` / `running` / …), a **tag** with a colour, and a set of **capabilities** describing what you may do with it.

## Selectors

Everywhere a guide says "address a sandbox", you pass a selector to `orchard.sandbox(...)`, resolved in this order: exact uuid, uuid prefix, exact name, then tag. A tag that matches several sandboxes is ambiguous for a single-target call; use `sandboxes.resolveAll` / `sandboxes.resolve_all` to get them all.

## List, create, control

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Python" %}

```python
orchard.sandboxes.list()["instances"]
orchard.sandboxes.create(platform="android", name="x", cpu=4, memory_mb=4096,
                         image="system-images;android-35;google_apis;x86_64")
orchard.sandboxes.create_sim(name="sim", device_type="iPhone 15", runtime="iOS-18-0")

sb = orchard.sandbox("x")
sb.start(); sb.stop()
sb.edit(notes="hi", cpu=8, memory_mb=8192)   # cpu/memory need the sandbox stopped
sb.tag("payments", "#22c55e")
sb.delete()                                   # terminate (deletes its disk)
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="TypeScript" %}

```ts
await orchard.sandboxes.list();
await orchard.sandboxes.create({ platform: "android", name: "x", cpu: 4, memory_mb: 4096,
  image: "system-images;android-35;google_apis;x86_64" });
await orchard.sandboxes.createSim({ name: "sim", device_type: "iPhone 15", runtime: "iOS-18-0" });

const sb = await orchard.sandbox("x");
await sb.start(); await sb.stop();
await sb.edit({ notes: "hi", cpu: 8, memory_mb: 8192 });  // cpu/memory need it stopped
await sb.tag("payments", "#22c55e");
await sb.delete();
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Editable fields

`edit` accepts `notes`, `tag`, `tag_color` (`#rrggbb`), `owner` (org-admin only), and `cpu` / `memory_mb` (the sandbox must be stopped; the change is re-checked against your org quota). `tag(name, color)` is a shortcut for the first two.

## Snapshots & templates

```python
sb.snapshots.create("clean")
sb.snapshots.restore("clean")
sb.snapshots.save_as_template("golden", visibility="org")
orchard.templates.launch(template_id, "from-tpl")
```

See [Files & apps](/guides/files-and-apps.md) and [Live channels](/guides/live-channels.md) for what you do with a running sandbox.


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