diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/__init__.py b/claude_bottle/backend/__init__.py
index 6c60cc4..42eb3f7 100644
--- a/claude_bottle/backend/__init__.py
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/__init__.py
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ class BottleBackend(ABC, Generic[PlanT, CleanupT]):
 # each backend module can pull BottleSpec / BottlePlan / BottleBackend
 # via `from . import ...` without hitting a partially-initialized module.
 from .docker import DockerBottleBackend  # noqa: E402
+from .smolmachines import SmolmachinesBottleBackend  # noqa: E402
 
 
 # The dict is heterogeneous: each value is a BottleBackend specialized
@@ -289,6 +290,7 @@ from .docker import DockerBottleBackend  # noqa: E402
 # unparameterized methods (prepare → plan → launch(plan), cleanup, etc.).
 _BACKENDS: dict[str, BottleBackend[Any, Any]] = {
     "docker": DockerBottleBackend(),
+    "smolmachines": SmolmachinesBottleBackend(),
 }
 
 
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/docker/bottle_plan.py b/claude_bottle/backend/docker/bottle_plan.py
index 1805dd6..1efb14e 100644
--- a/claude_bottle/backend/docker/bottle_plan.py
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/docker/bottle_plan.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from ...log import info
 from ...pipelock import PipelockProxyPlan
 from ...supervise import SupervisePlan
 from .. import BottlePlan
+from ..print_util import print_multi
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
@@ -70,22 +71,10 @@ class DockerBottlePlan(BottlePlan):
         # from the agent to the proxy is needed.
         env_names = sorted(set(bottle.env.keys()) | set(self.forwarded_env.keys()))
 
-        def _multi(label: str, values: list[str]) -> None:
-            """Print a label with N continuation-indented values. Used
-            for env / skills / git-gate / egress where one item
-            per line keeps the summary scannable."""
-            if not values:
-                info(f"{label}: (none)")
-                return
-            info(f"{label}: {values[0]}")
-            indent = " " * (len(label) + 2)
-            for v_ in values[1:]:
-                info(f"{indent}{v_}")
-
         print(file=sys.stderr)
         info(f"agent           : {spec.agent_name}")
-        _multi("env             ", env_names)
-        _multi("skills          ", list(agent.skills))
+        print_multi("env             ", env_names)
+        print_multi("skills          ", list(agent.skills))
         info(f"bottle          : {agent.bottle}")
 
         git_lines = [
@@ -93,13 +82,13 @@ class DockerBottlePlan(BottlePlan):
             for u in self.git_gate_plan.upstreams
         ]
         if git_lines:
-            _multi("  git gate      ", git_lines)
+            print_multi("  git gate      ", git_lines)
 
         if self.egress_plan.routes:
             egress_lines = []
             for r in self.egress_plan.routes:
                 auth = f" [auth:{r.auth_scheme}]" if r.auth_scheme else ""
                 egress_lines.append(f"{r.host}{auth}")
-            _multi("  egress        ", egress_lines)
+            print_multi("  egress        ", egress_lines)
         print(file=sys.stderr)
 
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/print_util.py b/claude_bottle/backend/print_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f37e22c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/print_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+"""Shared print helpers for BottlePlan.print implementations.
+
+Lifts the multi-value label printer out of DockerBottlePlan so the
+smolmachines backend (and any future backend) renders the same
+two-column scannable preflight without duplicating the indent
+math."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Sequence
+
+from ..log import info
+
+
+def print_multi(label: str, values: Sequence[str]) -> None:
+    """Print `label: <value>` with continuation lines indented to
+    align under the first value. Empty `values` renders `(none)`.
+
+    Used by every backend's `BottlePlan.print` for env / skills /
+    git / egress — one item per line keeps the preflight summary
+    scannable when an agent has many of any of these."""
+    if not values:
+        info(f"{label}: (none)")
+        return
+    info(f"{label}: {values[0]}")
+    indent = " " * (len(label) + 2)
+    for v in values[1:]:
+        info(f"{indent}{v}")
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/__init__.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39f8654
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+"""smolmachines bottle backend (PRD 0023).
+
+Selectable via `CLAUDE_BOTTLE_BACKEND=smolmachines`. Runs each
+bottle inside a per-agent microVM (libkrun / Hypervisor.framework
+on macOS) with a userspace gvproxy gateway as the egress
+primitive. The sidecar bundle (PRD 0024) runs as a host-side
+docker container reached only through gvproxy's port-forward list.
+
+Chunk 1 (this commit) ships the backend skeleton + Smolfile +
+gvproxy renderers + preflight check. VM lifecycle, sidecar
+bringup, and provisioning land in later chunks."""
+
+from .backend import SmolmachinesBottleBackend  # noqa: F401
+
+__all__ = ["SmolmachinesBottleBackend"]
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4af2e5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+"""SmolmachinesBottleBackend — the smolmachines implementation of
+BottleBackend (PRD 0023). Chunk 1 ships prepare-only; launch raises
+NotImplementedError until chunk 2."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Generator
+
+from .. import BottleBackend, BottleSpec
+from . import prepare as _prepare
+from .bottle import SmolmachinesBottle
+from .bottle_cleanup_plan import SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan
+from .bottle_plan import SmolmachinesBottlePlan
+
+
+class SmolmachinesBottleBackend(
+    BottleBackend["SmolmachinesBottlePlan", "SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan"]
+):
+    """smolmachines backend. Selected by
+    `CLAUDE_BOTTLE_BACKEND=smolmachines`."""
+
+    name = "smolmachines"
+
+    def _resolve_plan(
+        self, spec: BottleSpec, *, stage_dir: Path
+    ) -> SmolmachinesBottlePlan:
+        return _prepare.resolve_plan(spec, stage_dir=stage_dir)
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def launch(
+        self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan
+    ) -> Generator[SmolmachinesBottle, None, None]:
+        del plan
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            "smolmachines launch is implemented in PRD 0023 chunk 2; "
+            "chunk 1 ships prepare-only (the Smolfile + gvproxy "
+            "config are written, but no VM is brought up)."
+        )
+        # The generator never gets here, but the type checker wants
+        # to see the yield:
+        yield  # type: ignore[unreachable]
+
+    # The four `provision_*` methods land in chunk 4 alongside the
+    # `smolvm machine exec`-based copy-in flow. Stubs raise so any
+    # caller that reaches them before chunk 4 gets a clear pointer.
+    def provision_prompt(
+        self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan, target: str
+    ) -> str | None:
+        raise NotImplementedError("smolmachines provision_prompt → chunk 4")
+
+    def provision_skills(
+        self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan, target: str
+    ) -> None:
+        raise NotImplementedError("smolmachines provision_skills → chunk 4")
+
+    def provision_git(
+        self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan, target: str
+    ) -> None:
+        raise NotImplementedError("smolmachines provision_git → chunk 4")
+
+    def prepare_cleanup(self) -> SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan:
+        return SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan()
+
+    def cleanup(self, plan: SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan) -> None:
+        del plan
+        # Nothing to clean in chunk 1 — see SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan
+        # docstring.
+
+    def list_active(self) -> None:
+        from ...log import info
+        info(
+            "smolmachines list_active: not implemented (chunk 4 wires "
+            "it to `smolvm machine list`)"
+        )
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72720a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"""SmolmachinesBottle — runtime handle stub (PRD 0023 chunk 1).
+
+The chunk-1 backend doesn't launch VMs yet, so this class only
+exists to make `SmolmachinesBottleBackend.launch` resolvable at
+import time. Every method raises NotImplementedError; chunk 2
+gives it real `smolvm machine exec` plumbing."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from .. import Bottle, ExecResult
+
+
+class SmolmachinesBottle(Bottle):
+    """Stub. Real impl lands in chunk 2."""
+
+    def __init__(self, name: str) -> None:
+        self.name = name
+
+    def exec_claude(self, argv: list[str], *, tty: bool = True) -> int:
+        del argv, tty
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            "smolmachines backend chunk 1 ships prepare-only; "
+            "exec_claude lands in chunk 2"
+        )
+
+    def exec(self, script: str) -> ExecResult:
+        del script
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            "smolmachines backend chunk 1 ships prepare-only; "
+            "exec lands in chunk 2"
+        )
+
+    def cp_in(self, host_path: str, container_path: str) -> None:
+        del host_path, container_path
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            "smolmachines backend chunk 1 ships prepare-only; "
+            "cp_in lands in chunk 2"
+        )
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        pass
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle_cleanup_plan.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle_cleanup_plan.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7102e4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle_cleanup_plan.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+"""SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan — concrete BottleCleanupPlan stub
+(PRD 0023 chunk 1).
+
+Chunk 1 always reports nothing-to-clean. Real enumeration —
+orphaned smolvm machines, stranded gvproxy sockets, leftover
+sidecar bundle containers — lands in chunk 4 alongside the
+integration-test sweep that exercises teardown."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+from ...log import info
+from .. import BottleCleanupPlan
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class SmolmachinesBottleCleanupPlan(BottleCleanupPlan):
+    def print(self) -> None:
+        info("smolmachines cleanup: nothing to remove (chunk 4 will "
+             "enumerate orphan machines + gvproxy sockets)")
+
+    @property
+    def empty(self) -> bool:
+        return True
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle_plan.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle_plan.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..166da28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle_plan.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+"""SmolmachinesBottlePlan — concrete BottlePlan for the smolmachines
+backend (PRD 0023).
+
+Chunk 1 fields: slug, smolfile_path, gvproxy_config_path, gvproxy
+subnet + socket, and the per-bottle port map. VM lifecycle fields
+(machine name, OCI archive path, etc.) land in later chunks as the
+launch flow grows."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from ...log import info
+from .. import BottlePlan
+from ..print_util import print_multi
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class SmolmachinesBottlePlan(BottlePlan):
+    """Resolved fields the launch step needs to bring up the bottle.
+
+    Inherits `spec` and `stage_dir` from BottlePlan."""
+
+    slug: str
+    smolfile_path: Path
+    gvproxy_config_path: Path
+    gvproxy_socket: Path
+    gvproxy_subnet: str
+    gvproxy_gateway: str
+    # Daemon name → host-side loopback port the bundle binds.
+    # Always includes "pipelock"; "git-gate" and "supervise"
+    # conditional on the bottle's manifest.
+    host_port_map: dict[str, int]
+
+    def print(self, *, remote_control: bool) -> None:
+        """Compact y/N preflight. Same shape as the Docker
+        backend's so operators see one format across backends."""
+        del remote_control  # not surfaced in the compact summary
+        spec = self.spec
+        manifest = spec.manifest
+        agent = manifest.agents[spec.agent_name]
+        bottle = manifest.bottle_for(spec.agent_name)
+
+        env_names = sorted(bottle.env.keys())
+        upstreams = [
+            f"{g.Name} → {g.Upstream}" for g in bottle.git
+        ]
+        routes = [r.host for r in bottle.egress.routes]
+
+        print(file=sys.stderr)
+        info(f"agent           : {spec.agent_name}")
+        print_multi("env             ", env_names)
+        print_multi("skills          ", list(agent.skills))
+        info(f"bottle          : {agent.bottle}")
+        if upstreams:
+            print_multi("  git gate      ", upstreams)
+        if routes:
+            print_multi("  egress        ", routes)
+        print(file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/gvproxy_config.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/gvproxy_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78ff29c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/gvproxy_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+"""gvproxy YAML config renderer (PRD 0023).
+
+The gvproxy config defines:
+
+  - The per-bottle subnet + gateway IP — derived from the slug so
+    parallel bottles don't collide on 192.168.X.0/24.
+  - A DNS rule that resolves only `proxy.internal` to the gateway.
+    Every other hostname returns NXDOMAIN. This is the load-bearing
+    rule for PRD 0022's DNS-exfil attack: the guest can't `dig`
+    arbitrary names.
+  - `port_forwards` — one entry per sidecar daemon the bottle uses.
+    Only what's listed here is reachable from the guest. The
+    host-side sidecar bundle listens on the resolved `host_port`s;
+    gvproxy port-forwards `gateway_port` (what the guest dials) →
+    host `host_port`.
+
+This is the file the PRD 0023 design names as the network
+primitive. TSI is explicitly NOT used — see PRD 0023 "Why gvproxy,
+not TSI".
+
+The renderer is pure; disk writes happen in prepare.py."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class PortForward:
+    """One gvproxy port forward. The guest dials `gateway_port`; the
+    host receives the connection at `127.0.0.1:host_port`."""
+    gateway_port: int
+    host_port: int
+
+
+def gvproxy_config_build(
+    *,
+    subnet: str,
+    gateway: str,
+    port_forwards: tuple[PortForward, ...],
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Build the gvproxy YAML config dict. The shape matches the
+    recipe in `agent-vm-isolation.md` § "Full Setup": top-level
+    `subnet`, `gateway`, `dns:` with the `proxy.internal` carve-out,
+    and `port_forwards`."""
+    return {
+        "subnet": subnet,
+        "gateway": gateway,
+        "dns": [
+            {
+                "zone": ".",
+                "records": [
+                    {"name": "proxy.internal", "ip": gateway},
+                ],
+            },
+        ],
+        "port_forwards": [
+            {
+                "gateway_port": p.gateway_port,
+                "host": "127.0.0.1",
+                "host_port": p.host_port,
+            }
+            for p in port_forwards
+        ],
+    }
+
+
+def gvproxy_config_render(cfg: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    """Render the gvproxy config as a small YAML subset (the same
+    shape `pipelock_render_yaml` uses). Stdlib has no YAML writer
+    and the config shape is narrow — strings + ints + lists of dicts
+    — so rendering by hand is straightforward and keeps the project
+    stdlib-only."""
+    lines: list[str] = []
+    lines.append(f'subnet: "{cfg["subnet"]}"')
+    lines.append(f'gateway: "{cfg["gateway"]}"')
+    lines.append("dns:")
+    for zone in cfg["dns"]:
+        lines.append(f'  - zone: "{zone["zone"]}"')
+        lines.append("    records:")
+        for record in zone["records"]:
+            lines.append(f'      - name: "{record["name"]}"')
+            lines.append(f'        ip: "{record["ip"]}"')
+    if cfg["port_forwards"]:
+        lines.append("port_forwards:")
+        for pf in cfg["port_forwards"]:
+            lines.append(f'  - gateway_port: {pf["gateway_port"]}')
+            lines.append(f'    host: "{pf["host"]}"')
+            lines.append(f'    host_port: {pf["host_port"]}')
+    else:
+        lines.append("port_forwards: []")
+    return "\n".join(lines) + "\n"
+
+
+def gvproxy_config_write(cfg: dict[str, Any], path: Path) -> Path:
+    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    path.write_text(gvproxy_config_render(cfg))
+    path.chmod(0o600)
+    return path
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/prepare.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/prepare.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aaeb0bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/prepare.py
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+"""smolmachines `_resolve_plan` (PRD 0023 chunk 1).
+
+Lays down the two config files the launch step will consume —
+Smolfile (TOML) and gvproxy YAML — under the bottle's stage dir.
+No VM bringup. The plan it returns is enough for the y/N
+preflight to render."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from ...backend import BottleSpec
+from ...backend.docker.bottle_state import (
+    BottleMetadata,
+    bottle_identity,
+    write_metadata,
+)
+from ...backend.docker.sidecar_bundle import sidecar_bundle_container_name
+from .bottle_plan import SmolmachinesBottlePlan
+from .gvproxy_config import (
+    PortForward,
+    gvproxy_config_build,
+    gvproxy_config_write,
+)
+from .smolfile import (
+    GVPROXY_GIT_GATE_GATEWAY_PORT,
+    GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT,
+    GVPROXY_SUPERVISE_GATEWAY_PORT,
+    smolfile_build,
+    smolfile_write,
+)
+from .util import (
+    allocate_loopback_port,
+    smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet,
+    smolmachines_preflight,
+)
+
+
+def resolve_plan(
+    spec: BottleSpec, *, stage_dir: Path
+) -> SmolmachinesBottlePlan:
+    """Materialize the smolmachines plan. Three things land on disk
+    under stage_dir:
+
+      - `gvproxy.sock` path (created at launch time by gvproxy,
+        not by prepare — prepare only records where it'll go).
+      - `gvproxy.yaml` — subnet + DNS rule + port_forwards.
+      - `smolfile.toml` — guest command/env + virtio-net device
+        wired to the gvproxy unixgram socket.
+
+    The y/N preflight reads from the returned plan; chunk-2 launch
+    consumes the file paths it points at."""
+    smolmachines_preflight()
+
+    manifest = spec.manifest
+    agent = manifest.agents[spec.agent_name]
+    bottle = manifest.bottle_for(spec.agent_name)
+
+    slug = spec.identity or bottle_identity(spec.agent_name)
+
+    # Record minimal metadata. `resume` (PRD 0016) reuses the slug
+    # via spec.identity, so the metadata file is the recoverability
+    # contract — keep it in lockstep with the docker backend's
+    # bottle_state schema.
+    write_metadata(BottleMetadata(
+        identity=slug,
+        agent_name=spec.agent_name,
+        cwd=spec.user_cwd if spec.copy_cwd else "",
+        copy_cwd=spec.copy_cwd,
+        started_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+        # No compose project for smolmachines bottles. Empty string
+        # so the dashboard's compose-project-based discovery skips
+        # these entries cleanly until chunk 4 teaches it about
+        # `smolvm machine list`.
+        compose_project="",
+    ))
+
+    # Per-bottle gvproxy subnet + gateway. Deterministic from slug;
+    # collisions surface at launch time (chunk 2).
+    subnet, gateway = smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet(slug)
+
+    # Allocate one host-side loopback port per active sidecar
+    # daemon. The bundle (PRD 0024) binds these; gvproxy
+    # port-forwards from a fixed gateway port -> host port.
+    host_port_map: dict[str, int] = {
+        "pipelock": allocate_loopback_port(),
+    }
+    port_forwards: list[PortForward] = [PortForward(
+        gateway_port=GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT,
+        host_port=host_port_map["pipelock"],
+    )]
+    if bottle.git:
+        host_port_map["git-gate"] = allocate_loopback_port()
+        port_forwards.append(PortForward(
+            gateway_port=GVPROXY_GIT_GATE_GATEWAY_PORT,
+            host_port=host_port_map["git-gate"],
+        ))
+    if bottle.supervise:
+        host_port_map["supervise"] = allocate_loopback_port()
+        port_forwards.append(PortForward(
+            gateway_port=GVPROXY_SUPERVISE_GATEWAY_PORT,
+            host_port=host_port_map["supervise"],
+        ))
+
+    # Render + write the two config files.
+    gvproxy_socket = stage_dir / "gvproxy.sock"
+    gvproxy_yaml = stage_dir / "gvproxy.yaml"
+    smolfile = stage_dir / "smolfile.toml"
+
+    gvproxy_config_write(
+        gvproxy_config_build(
+            subnet=subnet,
+            gateway=gateway,
+            port_forwards=tuple(port_forwards),
+        ),
+        gvproxy_yaml,
+    )
+
+    # Build the guest env. proxy_url points at the gvproxy gateway;
+    # gvproxy resolves `proxy.internal` to the gateway IP via its
+    # DNS rule, then port-forwards to the host sidecar bundle.
+    guest_env: dict[str, str] = {
+        **bottle.env,
+        "HTTPS_PROXY": f"http://proxy.internal:{GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT}",
+        "HTTP_PROXY":  f"http://proxy.internal:{GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT}",
+        "NO_PROXY":    "localhost,127.0.0.1",
+    }
+    if bottle.git:
+        guest_env["GIT_GATE_URL"] = (
+            f"git://proxy.internal:{GVPROXY_GIT_GATE_GATEWAY_PORT}"
+        )
+    if bottle.supervise:
+        guest_env["MCP_SUPERVISE_URL"] = (
+            f"http://proxy.internal:{GVPROXY_SUPERVISE_GATEWAY_PORT}"
+        )
+    smolfile_write(
+        smolfile_build(
+            slug=slug,
+            gvproxy_socket=gvproxy_socket,
+            env=guest_env,
+        ),
+        smolfile,
+    )
+
+    return SmolmachinesBottlePlan(
+        spec=spec,
+        stage_dir=stage_dir,
+        slug=slug,
+        smolfile_path=smolfile,
+        gvproxy_config_path=gvproxy_yaml,
+        gvproxy_socket=gvproxy_socket,
+        gvproxy_subnet=subnet,
+        gvproxy_gateway=gateway,
+        host_port_map=host_port_map,
+    )
+
+
+# Used by future cleanup logic — the bundle container that runs on
+# the host carries this name even when its host is a smolmachines
+# microVM. Re-exported here so chunk 3's sidecar-bringup path has
+# a single import target.
+__all__ = [
+    "resolve_plan",
+    "sidecar_bundle_container_name",
+]
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolfile.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolfile.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4393f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolfile.py
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+"""Smolfile (TOML) renderer for the smolmachines backend (PRD 0023).
+
+The Smolfile pins the per-bottle microVM's command + env + virtio-net
+device. Three fields drive what we emit:
+
+  - `command` — the entrypoint claude-bottle runs inside the guest.
+    Chunk 1 ships a placeholder (`sleep infinity`); chunk 4 wires
+    the real `claude` entrypoint once provisioning is in place.
+
+  - `env` — the agent's HTTP_PROXY / NO_PROXY / CA paths, pointing
+    at `proxy.internal:<gateway-port>`. gvproxy resolves
+    `proxy.internal` to the gateway IP and port-forwards to the
+    host-side sidecar bundle.
+
+  - `[[net]]` — a virtio-net device backed by gvproxy's unixgram
+    socket via the VFKT handshake. This is the line that rejects
+    libkrun's TSI mode: TSI's CIDR allowlist permits the entire
+    127.0.0.0/8 of host loopback, which exposes every host-side
+    service; gvproxy's explicit port-forward list is the only thing
+    the guest can reach.
+
+The renderer is a pure function. Disk writes happen in
+`prepare.py` via `smolfile_write`."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Mapping
+
+
+# Default port assignments INSIDE the gvproxy network — what the
+# guest dials. The agent's HTTPS_PROXY etc. resolve to
+# `proxy.internal:<one of these>`. Host-side mapping is dynamic
+# (chunk 3 allocates loopback ports per bottle).
+GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT = 8888
+GVPROXY_GIT_GATE_GATEWAY_PORT = 8889
+GVPROXY_SUPERVISE_GATEWAY_PORT = 8890
+
+
+def smolfile_build(
+    *,
+    slug: str,
+    gvproxy_socket: Path,
+    env: Mapping[str, str],
+    command: tuple[str, ...] = ("sleep", "infinity"),
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Build the Smolfile config dict.
+
+    `gvproxy_socket` is the unixgram socket gvproxy listens on; the
+    guest's virtio-net device handshakes (VFKT magic) with it on
+    start. `env` is `{NAME: VALUE}` for the guest's process env.
+    `command` is the entrypoint argv inside the guest (placeholder
+    until chunk 4 — see module docstring).
+
+    Returns a TOML-shaped dict; render with `smolfile_render`."""
+    return {
+        "name": f"claude-bottle-{slug}",
+        "command": list(command),
+        "env": [f"{k}={v}" for k, v in sorted(env.items())],
+        "net": [
+            {
+                "type": "virtio-net",
+                "attachment": "unixgram",
+                "socket": str(gvproxy_socket),
+            },
+        ],
+    }
+
+
+def smolfile_render(cfg: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    """Render the Smolfile dict as TOML. Stdlib has `tomllib` for
+    reading TOML but no writer; the smolmachines schema we emit is
+    narrow enough (string scalars + string lists + one inline table
+    per net device) to render by hand. Avoids a `tomli_w` runtime
+    dep and keeps the project stdlib-only."""
+    lines: list[str] = []
+    lines.append(f'name = {_toml_str(cfg["name"])}')
+    lines.append(f'command = {_toml_array(cfg["command"])}')
+    lines.append(f'env = {_toml_array(cfg["env"])}')
+    lines.append("")
+    for net in cfg.get("net", ()):
+        lines.append("[[net]]")
+        for key, value in net.items():
+            lines.append(f'{key} = {_toml_str(value)}')
+        lines.append("")
+    return "\n".join(lines).rstrip("\n") + "\n"
+
+
+def smolfile_write(cfg: dict[str, Any], path: Path) -> Path:
+    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    path.write_text(smolfile_render(cfg))
+    path.chmod(0o600)
+    return path
+
+
+def _toml_str(value: Any) -> str:
+    """TOML basic string: double-quoted with backslash + double-quote
+    escapes. The smolmachines fields we emit (slugs, paths, env
+    pairs) are ASCII-safe; the escape table covers what's reachable."""
+    s = str(value)
+    s = s.replace("\\", "\\\\").replace('"', '\\"')
+    return f'"{s}"'
+
+
+def _toml_array(values: list[Any]) -> str:
+    """TOML inline array. Uses `_toml_str` so quoting is consistent;
+    the alternative would be `json.dumps(values)` which renders
+    identical text for ASCII-only lists, but going through the same
+    quoter is one less surprise on future inputs."""
+    return "[" + ", ".join(_toml_str(v) for v in values) + "]"
diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/util.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1f3df5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+"""Slug / preflight helpers for the smolmachines backend (PRD 0023).
+
+Backend-specific utilities the prepare/launch flow reaches for.
+Kept in its own module so the renderers can be unit-tested without
+importing the docker subprocess paths."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+import os
+import shutil
+import socket
+from contextlib import closing
+
+from ...log import die
+
+
+def smolmachines_preflight() -> None:
+    """Ensure the binaries the smolmachines backend shells out to are
+    on PATH. Called from the backend's `_resolve_plan` before any
+    file writes; gives the operator a clear pointer rather than a
+    cryptic FileNotFoundError later.
+
+    `smolvm` drives the libkrun microVM lifecycle. `gvproxy`
+    (gvisor-tap-vsock) is the userspace TCP/IP stack the guest's
+    virtio-net device hooks into."""
+    missing: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
+    if shutil.which("smolvm") is None:
+        missing.append((
+            "smolvm",
+            "brew install smolmachines-dev/smolmachines/smolmachines  "
+            "# or build from https://smolmachines.com/",
+        ))
+    if shutil.which("gvproxy") is None:
+        missing.append((
+            "gvproxy",
+            "go install "
+            "github.com/containers/gvisor-tap-vsock/cmd/gvproxy@latest  "
+            "# requires Go + ensure $GOPATH/bin on PATH",
+        ))
+    if not missing:
+        return
+    lines = [
+        f"CLAUDE_BOTTLE_BACKEND=smolmachines requires the following "
+        f"binar{'y' if len(missing) == 1 else 'ies'} on PATH:",
+    ]
+    for name, install in missing:
+        lines.append(f"  - {name}    install: {install}")
+    die("\n".join(lines))
+
+
+def smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet(slug: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """Derive a per-bottle subnet + gateway IP from the slug.
+
+    Returns `(subnet_cidr, gateway_ip)`. The third octet comes from
+    SHA-256 of the slug mod 254 (1..254, skipping 0 and 255 + the
+    127.x.x.x range) — collision-free for any reasonable concurrent-
+    bottle count and stable across `start` / `resume` of the same
+    bottle. Bottles that DO collide would fail at gvproxy bringup;
+    `launch.py` (chunk 2) detects the conflict and surfaces a clear
+    error rather than silently reusing another bottle's gateway."""
+    digest = hashlib.sha256(slug.encode("utf-8")).digest()
+    octet = (digest[0] % 254) + 1
+    # Skip docker-default 17 to dodge the usual second-bridge
+    # collision. Operators with docker's default bridge at
+    # 172.17.x.x — common Linux setup — would otherwise see a
+    # collision the moment they run a parallel docker bottle.
+    if octet == 17:
+        octet = 18
+    subnet = f"192.168.{octet}.0/24"
+    gateway = f"192.168.{octet}.1"
+    return subnet, gateway
+
+
+def allocate_loopback_port() -> int:
+    """Bind / release dance to grab a free TCP port on 127.0.0.1.
+
+    Race window: a parallel allocator could grab the same port
+    between our close and the bundle's bind. The window is small
+    enough that chunk 1 doesn't address it; chunk 3 will add a
+    retry loop if it shows up in practice."""
+    with closing(socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)) as s:
+        s.bind(("127.0.0.1", 0))
+        return int(s.getsockname()[1])
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_smolfile.py b/tests/unit/test_smolfile.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dabada7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_smolfile.py
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+"""Unit: Smolfile renderer for the smolmachines backend (PRD 0023).
+
+Pure-function tests on `smolfile_build` + `smolfile_render`. The
+schema we emit is narrow (name + command + env + one inline-table
+per net device), so the tests exhaustively cover what lands on
+disk."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.smolfile import (
+    GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT,
+    smolfile_build,
+    smolfile_render,
+)
+
+
+class TestSmolfileBuild(unittest.TestCase):
+    def _build(self, **kwargs):
+        defaults = dict(
+            slug="demo-abc12",
+            gvproxy_socket=Path("/tmp/cb-stage/gvproxy.sock"),
+            env={"HTTPS_PROXY": "http://proxy.internal:8888"},
+        )
+        defaults.update(kwargs)
+        return smolfile_build(**defaults)
+
+    def test_name_uses_claude_bottle_prefix(self):
+        cfg = self._build(slug="myagent-xyz")
+        self.assertEqual("claude-bottle-myagent-xyz", cfg["name"])
+
+    def test_command_defaults_to_sleep_infinity(self):
+        # Chunk 1 placeholder; chunk 4 swaps in the real claude
+        # entrypoint.
+        cfg = self._build()
+        self.assertEqual(["sleep", "infinity"], cfg["command"])
+
+    def test_command_can_be_overridden(self):
+        cfg = self._build(command=("claude", "--no-banner"))
+        self.assertEqual(["claude", "--no-banner"], cfg["command"])
+
+    def test_env_renders_as_sorted_KEY_VALUE_list(self):
+        cfg = self._build(env={
+            "ZED": "one",
+            "ALPHA": "two",
+            "HTTPS_PROXY": "http://proxy.internal:8888",
+        })
+        # Sorted by key so renderer output is deterministic.
+        self.assertEqual(
+            ["ALPHA=two", "HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.internal:8888", "ZED=one"],
+            cfg["env"],
+        )
+
+    def test_net_device_points_at_gvproxy_socket(self):
+        cfg = self._build(gvproxy_socket=Path("/state/foo/gv.sock"))
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(cfg["net"]))
+        net = cfg["net"][0]
+        self.assertEqual("virtio-net", net["type"])
+        self.assertEqual("unixgram", net["attachment"])
+        self.assertEqual("/state/foo/gv.sock", net["socket"])
+
+    def test_no_tsi_flags(self):
+        # PRD 0023: TSI is explicitly rejected. The Smolfile must
+        # never carry --allow-cidr / --allow-host /
+        # --outbound-localhost-only — gvproxy is the policy layer.
+        cfg = self._build()
+        rendered = smolfile_render(cfg)
+        self.assertNotIn("--allow-cidr", rendered)
+        self.assertNotIn("--allow-host", rendered)
+        self.assertNotIn("--outbound-localhost-only", rendered)
+        self.assertNotIn("tsi", rendered.lower())
+
+
+class TestSmolfileRender(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The rendered TOML must be parseable by stdlib `tomllib` and
+    contain the keys the smolmachines schema expects."""
+
+    def _render(self, **kwargs):
+        cfg = smolfile_build(
+            slug="demo-abc12",
+            gvproxy_socket=Path("/tmp/gvp.sock"),
+            env={"HTTPS_PROXY": "http://proxy.internal:8888"},
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+        return smolfile_render(cfg)
+
+    def test_round_trip_through_tomllib(self):
+        import tomllib  # stdlib in 3.11+
+        rendered = self._render()
+        parsed = tomllib.loads(rendered)
+        self.assertEqual("claude-bottle-demo-abc12", parsed["name"])
+        self.assertEqual(["sleep", "infinity"], parsed["command"])
+        self.assertIn("HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.internal:8888", parsed["env"])
+        # net is an array of tables → list of dicts post-parse.
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(parsed["net"]))
+        self.assertEqual("/tmp/gvp.sock", parsed["net"][0]["socket"])
+
+    def test_special_chars_in_values_escape_correctly(self):
+        import tomllib
+        cfg = smolfile_build(
+            slug="demo",
+            gvproxy_socket=Path("/tmp/path with spaces/gv.sock"),
+            env={"WITH_QUOTES": 'has "double" quotes'},
+        )
+        rendered = smolfile_render(cfg)
+        parsed = tomllib.loads(rendered)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "/tmp/path with spaces/gv.sock",
+            parsed["net"][0]["socket"],
+        )
+        # The env entry survives the quote escape.
+        self.assertIn('WITH_QUOTES=has "double" quotes', parsed["env"])
+
+    def test_constants_match_what_prepare_uses(self):
+        # Lock the gateway-port constant so the prepare side and the
+        # config-render side don't drift out of sync.
+        self.assertEqual(8888, GVPROXY_PIPELOCK_GATEWAY_PORT)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_gvproxy_config.py b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_gvproxy_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0893a58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_gvproxy_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+"""Unit: gvproxy YAML renderer for the smolmachines backend
+(PRD 0023). The config shape comes from the recipe in
+`docs/research/agent-vm-isolation.md` § "Full Setup". Tests pin
+the load-bearing rules: only `proxy.internal` resolves; only
+explicit port forwards are reachable."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import unittest
+
+from claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.gvproxy_config import (
+    PortForward,
+    gvproxy_config_build,
+    gvproxy_config_render,
+)
+
+
+class TestGvproxyConfigBuild(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_subnet_and_gateway_pass_through(self):
+        cfg = gvproxy_config_build(
+            subnet="192.168.50.0/24",
+            gateway="192.168.50.1",
+            port_forwards=(),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual("192.168.50.0/24", cfg["subnet"])
+        self.assertEqual("192.168.50.1", cfg["gateway"])
+
+    def test_dns_resolves_only_proxy_internal(self):
+        # Load-bearing for PRD 0022's DNS-exfil attack: anything
+        # other than `proxy.internal` MUST return NXDOMAIN.
+        cfg = gvproxy_config_build(
+            subnet="192.168.50.0/24",
+            gateway="192.168.50.1",
+            port_forwards=(),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(cfg["dns"]))
+        zone = cfg["dns"][0]
+        self.assertEqual(".", zone["zone"])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [{"name": "proxy.internal", "ip": "192.168.50.1"}],
+            zone["records"],
+        )
+
+    def test_port_forwards_render_one_per_entry(self):
+        cfg = gvproxy_config_build(
+            subnet="192.168.50.0/24",
+            gateway="192.168.50.1",
+            port_forwards=(
+                PortForward(gateway_port=8888, host_port=51001),
+                PortForward(gateway_port=8889, host_port=51002),
+                PortForward(gateway_port=8890, host_port=51003),
+            ),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(cfg["port_forwards"]))
+        # All forwards land on host loopback.
+        for pf in cfg["port_forwards"]:
+            self.assertEqual("127.0.0.1", pf["host"])
+
+    def test_no_port_forwards_renders_empty_list(self):
+        # A bottle that somehow had no forwards (none in practice
+        # since pipelock is always allocated) must not silently
+        # default to permissive — explicit empty list keeps the
+        # guest with literally no outbound destinations.
+        cfg = gvproxy_config_build(
+            subnet="192.168.50.0/24",
+            gateway="192.168.50.1",
+            port_forwards=(),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual([], cfg["port_forwards"])
+
+
+class TestGvproxyConfigRender(unittest.TestCase):
+    def _render(self, **kwargs):
+        defaults = dict(
+            subnet="192.168.50.0/24",
+            gateway="192.168.50.1",
+            port_forwards=(PortForward(gateway_port=8888, host_port=51001),),
+        )
+        defaults.update(kwargs)
+        return gvproxy_config_render(gvproxy_config_build(**defaults))
+
+    def test_subnet_and_gateway_quoted_strings(self):
+        text = self._render()
+        self.assertIn('subnet: "192.168.50.0/24"', text)
+        self.assertIn('gateway: "192.168.50.1"', text)
+
+    def test_dns_records_emit_in_yaml_list_form(self):
+        text = self._render()
+        self.assertIn('dns:', text)
+        self.assertIn('- zone: "."', text)
+        self.assertIn('- name: "proxy.internal"', text)
+        self.assertIn('ip: "192.168.50.1"', text)
+
+    def test_port_forwards_emit_inline_ints(self):
+        text = self._render(port_forwards=(
+            PortForward(gateway_port=8888, host_port=51001),
+        ))
+        self.assertIn('- gateway_port: 8888', text)
+        self.assertIn('host_port: 51001', text)
+        self.assertIn('host: "127.0.0.1"', text)
+
+    def test_empty_port_forwards_uses_empty_list_syntax(self):
+        text = self._render(port_forwards=())
+        self.assertIn("port_forwards: []", text)
+
+    def test_no_tsi_or_allowlist_leak(self):
+        # gvproxy's job is the explicit port-forward allowlist. No
+        # mention of TSI primitives that the smolmachines research
+        # note recommended and PRD 0023 explicitly rejected.
+        text = self._render()
+        for forbidden in ("allow-cidr", "allow-host", "TSI", "tsi"):
+            self.assertNotIn(forbidden, text,
+                             f"gvproxy config leaked {forbidden!r}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_util.py b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bab4117
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+"""Unit: smolmachines backend util helpers (PRD 0023 chunk 1)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import socket
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.util import (
+    allocate_loopback_port,
+    smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet,
+    smolmachines_preflight,
+)
+
+
+class TestGvproxySubnet(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_returns_192_168_X_format(self):
+        subnet, gateway = smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet("demo-abc12")
+        self.assertTrue(subnet.startswith("192.168."))
+        self.assertTrue(subnet.endswith(".0/24"))
+        self.assertTrue(gateway.startswith("192.168."))
+        self.assertTrue(gateway.endswith(".1"))
+        # The subnet and gateway share the same third octet.
+        sub_octet = subnet.split(".")[2]
+        gw_octet = gateway.split(".")[2]
+        self.assertEqual(sub_octet, gw_octet)
+
+    def test_stable_for_same_slug(self):
+        # Recoverability: `resume` reuses the slug + expects the
+        # same subnet so a re-attach doesn't try to grab a fresh
+        # network range from gvproxy.
+        a = smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet("demo-abc12")
+        b = smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet("demo-abc12")
+        self.assertEqual(a, b)
+
+    def test_different_slugs_likely_differ(self):
+        # Not a guarantee (it's hash-mod-254 so collisions exist),
+        # but two arbitrary slugs shouldn't share a subnet in the
+        # typical case.
+        seen = {
+            smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet(s)
+            for s in ("a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "alpha", "beta", "gamma")
+        }
+        self.assertGreater(len(seen), 1)
+
+    def test_never_collides_with_docker_default_bridge(self):
+        # docker's default bridge sits at 172.17.x.x but operators
+        # commonly also see 192.168.17.x from VPN clients on macOS.
+        # The util explicitly skips octet 17 → 18 so the smolmachines
+        # subnet doesn't collide with that historical pain point.
+        for slug in (f"slug-{i}" for i in range(500)):
+            subnet, gateway = smolmachines_gvproxy_subnet(slug)
+            self.assertNotEqual("192.168.17.0/24", subnet,
+                                f"slug {slug!r} landed on the skipped octet")
+
+
+class TestAllocateLoopbackPort(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_returns_in_ephemeral_range(self):
+        port = allocate_loopback_port()
+        # Linux ephemeral starts at 32768; macOS at 49152. Either
+        # way it's >1024, which is what matters.
+        self.assertGreater(port, 1024)
+        self.assertLess(port, 65536)
+
+    def test_port_is_free_at_return(self):
+        # The dance is bind-with-port-0 + getsockname + close. By
+        # the time we return, the kernel has the port back in the
+        # free pool. We confirm by binding it ourselves immediately
+        # (we'll race with anyone else who races for it; the
+        # race-window caveat lives in the docstring).
+        port = allocate_loopback_port()
+        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        try:
+            s.bind(("127.0.0.1", port))
+        finally:
+            s.close()
+
+    def test_multiple_calls_return_distinct_ports(self):
+        # The kernel rotates ephemeral ports; consecutive calls
+        # almost certainly land different ports.
+        ports = {allocate_loopback_port() for _ in range(8)}
+        self.assertGreater(len(ports), 1)
+
+
+class TestPreflight(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_both_binaries_present_returns_none(self):
+        with patch(
+            "claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.util.shutil.which",
+            side_effect=lambda name: f"/usr/local/bin/{name}",
+        ):
+            self.assertIsNone(smolmachines_preflight())
+
+    def test_missing_smolvm_dies_with_pointer(self):
+        with patch(
+            "claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.util.shutil.which",
+            side_effect=lambda name: None if name == "smolvm" else f"/x/{name}",
+        ):
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit) as cm:
+                smolmachines_preflight()
+            self.assertNotEqual(0, cm.exception.code)
+
+    def test_missing_gvproxy_dies_with_pointer(self):
+        with patch(
+            "claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.util.shutil.which",
+            side_effect=lambda name: None if name == "gvproxy" else f"/x/{name}",
+        ):
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                smolmachines_preflight()
+
+    def test_missing_both_lists_both_in_message(self):
+        # When both are gone, the message names both binaries and
+        # gives both install pointers — operator shouldn't have to
+        # re-run to discover the second missing dep.
+        import io, sys
+        with patch(
+            "claude_bottle.backend.smolmachines.util.shutil.which",
+            return_value=None,
+        ):
+            captured = io.StringIO()
+            with patch.object(sys, "stderr", captured):
+                with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                    smolmachines_preflight()
+            msg = captured.getvalue()
+            self.assertIn("smolvm", msg)
+            self.assertIn("gvproxy", msg)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()