docs(smolmachines): note loopback-scope limitation + tracking issue
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PR #74's Docker-Desktop pivot widened the smolmachines TSI
allowlist from `<bundle-ip>/32` to `127.0.0.1/32` (TSI can't
filter by port, and docker bridge IPs aren't reachable from
macOS networking). The agent VM can therefore reach any service
on macOS's loopback while the bottle is running — not just the
bundle's published ports.

README gets a "Smolmachines backend" subsection under Quickstart
spelling this out as a known v1 limitation. PRD 0023 grows a new
open question #8 with the proposed v2 fix (per-bottle loopback
alias + TSI allowlist scoped to that /32, via sudo
`ifconfig lo0 alias`).

Tracking issue: gitea.dideric.is/didericis/claude-bottle/issues/75.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
2026-05-27 15:58:30 -04:00
parent 5486170be1
commit 45c821a8f3
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@@ -190,6 +190,27 @@ The container is removed automatically when the session ends. If the script
is killed with SIGKILL the exit trap won't fire and the container may be is killed with SIGKILL the exit trap won't fire and the container may be
left running; remove it with `docker rm -f <container-name>`. left running; remove it with `docker rm -f <container-name>`.
### Smolmachines backend (experimental, macOS-only)
A second backend runs the agent in a smolvm micro-VM (libkrun) with the
sidecar bundle still in Docker. Selected via
`CLAUDE_BOTTLE_BACKEND=smolmachines ./cli.py start <agent>`. Requires
`smolvm` on PATH (`curl -sSL https://smolmachines.com/install.sh | sh`).
**Known limitation, v1:** smolvm's TSI uses macOS networking, and
Docker Desktop's container IPs aren't reachable from macOS, so the
smolmachines bottle dials the sidecar bundle through host loopback
port-forwards (`127.0.0.1:<random>`). TSI filters by IP only, so the
allowlist is `127.0.0.1/32` — meaning the agent VM can reach **any
service bound to macOS's loopback**, not just the bundle's published
ports. Practical implication: while a smolmachines bottle is running,
host-local dev services (postgres on 5432, dev servers, etc.) are
reachable from inside the agent even if you intended them to be
host-private. The docker backend keeps the bottle on a `--internal`
docker network and doesn't have this issue. A future revision will
narrow this via a per-bottle loopback alias + host-side proxy (see
PRD 0023's "loopback scoping" section).
## Manifest ## Manifest
Bottles and agents live as Markdown files with YAML frontmatter under Bottles and agents live as Markdown files with YAML frontmatter under
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@@ -600,6 +600,22 @@ PRD 0024's bundle image is a prerequisite — this PRD assumes
the plan is to filter on a deterministic name prefix the plan is to filter on a deterministic name prefix
`claude-bottle-<slug>` + cross-reference with on-disk metadata `claude-bottle-<slug>` + cross-reference with on-disk metadata
under `state/<slug>/`. under `state/<slug>/`.
8. **Loopback scoping (Docker Desktop pivot).** The original
design pinned the bundle at a docker bridge IP and set TSI's
allowlist to `<bundle-ip>/32`. On Docker Desktop / macOS the
daemon runs inside its own Linux VM, so bridge IPs aren't
reachable from macOS networking — TSI's syscall impersonation
can't reach them. Resolution: publish each agent-facing bundle
port on host loopback (`-p 127.0.0.1::<port>`) and set TSI to
`127.0.0.1/32`. **This widens the TSI allowlist to anything
bound to macOS's loopback** — postgres, dev servers, other
bottles' published ports, mDNSResponder, etc. The agent can't
reach them by intent, but TSI can't filter by port. Follow-up
to scope back: bind each bottle's bundle ports on a per-bottle
loopback alias (e.g. `127.0.0.2` for bottle A, `127.0.0.3` for
B) added via `ifconfig lo0 alias`, set TSI to that single /32.
Needs sudo for alias setup; a small daemon-or-script we ship
alongside the launcher could handle it.
## References ## References