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Version: MVP

Local process backend

2 min readReferenceUpdated 2026-05-19

What you'll find here

The LocalProcessRequest boundary that represents execution through the host process environment — and what it intentionally does not provide.

Decision boundary, not ambient shell authority.

The helper returns an allowed or denied decision that can be recorded in receipts before the caller dispatches through a governed execution path.

Required controls

Sandbox backend

Kind local_process · isolation process.

Declared shell.execute capability

With run operation.

Policy envelope id

Capability grant id

Receipt id

Redaction controls

For persisted metadata.

Requests missing any of those controls are denied before execution.

Limitations

No container, VM, or remote isolation.

The local process backend can only describe and authorize a command reference for a caller that already has local execution capability. Don't use it for untrusted commands, unreviewed input, or workloads that require filesystem, network, or process isolation.

Inline shell strings are denied.

This avoids granting broad shell authority by smuggling flags, pipes, command substitution, or chained commands into a command reference field.

What's next