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wasmerio

wasmerio/wasmer

A WebAssembly runtime and CLI for running apps and AI agent code in fast, lightweight, sandboxed environments.

Open-source alternative to:Docker

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What is it?

Wasmer runs programs inside WebAssembly sandboxes, locally, in the cloud, or in the browser. You control which files, network endpoints, and environment variables a program can access, and each sandbox starts quickly with a small memory footprint.

The CLI can run packages from the Wasmer registry, such as Python, Bash, PHP, SQLite, PostgreSQL (PGlite) and FFmpeg, with a single command. Directories are shared into the sandbox with --volume, and host networking is enabled with --net only when needed. Packages are downloaded once and cached.

For embedding, the Wasmer SDK provides sandbox APIs for JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Rust and Swift (macOS and iOS). Applications can create sandboxes, run commands, stream processes, read and write workspace files, and run services with explicit network access. The SDK is described as alpha, and this repository holds the runtime and CLI while the SDKs live in a separate repository.

Key features

  • 01Runs WebAssembly programs with explicit control over file, network and environment access.
  • 02Runs packages such as Python, Bash, PHP and FFmpeg from the Wasmer registry.
  • 03Shares host directories into sandboxes with --volume.
  • 04Provides SDKs for JavaScript, Python, Rust and Swift to create sandboxes from your code.
  • 05Supports running sandboxes in the browser via wasmer.sh and the browser SDK entry point.

Use cases

  • Running untrusted or AI-generated code inside an isolated sandbox.
  • Executing Python or Node.js-compatible scripts without installing them on the host.
  • Embedding a sandboxed command runner in a web or mobile application.
  • Running packaged tools such as PostgreSQL or FFmpeg in a portable, isolated way.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install the CLI on macOS or Linux with the official install script from the README

  2. 2

    Install the CLI with Homebrew (macOS / Linux)

    brew install wasmer
  3. 3

    Run Python in a sandbox

    wasmer run python/python -- -c "print('Hello from Wasmer')"

Things to know

  • The Wasmer SDK is currently alpha.
  • The Rust SDK currently uses a source dependency and crates.io publishing is disabled.

Topics

#webassembly#wasm#sandbox#runtime#wasi#rust#cli#ai-agents#emscripten#linux

FAQ

What is wasmer?
A WebAssembly runtime and CLI for running apps and AI agent code in fast, lightweight, sandboxed environments. Wasmer runs programs inside WebAssembly sandboxes, locally, in the cloud, or in the browser. You control which files, network endpoints, and environment variables a program can access, and each sandbox starts quickly with a small memory footprint.
Is wasmer free to use? What license does it have?
wasmer is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is wasmer still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to wasmer was on Oct 20, 2026.
What can I use wasmer for?
Running untrusted or AI-generated code inside an isolated sandbox. Executing Python or Node.js-compatible scripts without installing them on the host. Embedding a sandboxed command runner in a web or mobile application. Running packaged tools such as PostgreSQL or FFmpeg in a portable, isolated way.
How do I install wasmer?
Install the CLI on macOS or Linux with the official install script from the README Install the CLI with Homebrew (macOS / Linux): brew install wasmer Run Python in a sandbox: wasmer run python/python -- -c "print('Hello from Wasmer')"
Where can I get wasmer?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/wasmerio/wasmer

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

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