Backends

clauderon supports multiple backends for running AI agent sessions. Each backend offers different trade-offs between isolation, performance, and capabilities.

Backend Comparison

Feature	Zellij	Docker	Kubernetes	Sprites	Apple
Isolation	Process	Container	Pod	Container	Container
Startup	~100ms	~2-5s	~10-30s	~5-10s	~1s
Host tools	Full	Limited	None	None	Limited
Custom image	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Resource limits	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cloud native	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Platform	Any	Any	Any	Any	macOS 26+
Network isolation	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Persistent storage	Host FS	Volumes	PVCs	Volumes	Volumes

Zellij (Default)

Lightweight terminal multiplexer sessions running directly on your host.

Best for:

• Fast iteration during development
• Projects that need host tools
• Local development workflows
• Debugging and exploration

Limitations:

• No isolation from host system
• No resource limits
• No custom runtime environment

clauderon create --repo ~/project --prompt "Explore the codebase"

Zellij Backend Guide

Docker

Full container isolation with configurable images and resource limits.

Best for:

• Isolated development environments
• Reproducible builds
• Projects with specific runtime requirements
• Untrusted code exploration

Limitations:

• Slower startup than Zellij
• Limited host tool access
• Requires Docker installed

clauderon create --backend docker --repo ~/project --prompt "Build the project"

Docker Backend Guide

Kubernetes

Cloud-native pod-based sessions for scalable, isolated environments.

Best for:

• Team environments
• Cloud deployments
• Scalable AI agent farms
• Enterprise security requirements

Limitations:

• Requires Kubernetes cluster
• Slowest startup time
• More complex setup

Note: Requires --enable-kubernetes-backend flag.

clauderon daemon --enable-kubernetes-backend
clauderon create --backend kubernetes --repo ~/project --prompt "Deploy to staging"

Kubernetes Backend Guide

Sprites

Managed cloud containers via sprites.dev for zero-ops deployment.

Best for:

• No-maintenance cloud sessions
• Remote development
• Team collaboration
• Situations where you can’t run Docker locally

Limitations:

• Requires sprites.dev account
• Network latency
• Usage costs

clauderon create --backend sprites --repo ~/project --prompt "Work on feature"

Sprites Backend Guide

Apple Container (macOS only)

Native macOS containerization using Apple’s container framework.

Best for:

• macOS-native isolation
• Apple Silicon optimization
• Swift/iOS development
• macOS-specific tooling

Limitations:

• macOS 26+ required
• Apple Silicon recommended
• Limited to macOS

clauderon create --backend apple --repo ~/project --prompt "Build iOS app"

Apple Container Guide

Choosing a Backend

For Local Development

Scenario	Recommended Backend
Quick tasks, exploration	Zellij
Need specific tools/versions	Docker
Untrusted code	Docker
macOS with isolation needs	Apple or Docker

For Teams/Production

Scenario	Recommended Backend
Cloud deployment	Kubernetes
Zero-ops requirement	Sprites
On-premise with isolation	Kubernetes
Mixed local/cloud	Docker + Sprites

Decision Tree

Need isolation?
├─ No → Zellij (fastest)
└─ Yes
   ├─ Have Kubernetes cluster?
   │  ├─ Yes → Kubernetes
   │  └─ No
   │     ├─ Want managed service?
   │     │  ├─ Yes → Sprites
   │     │  └─ No
   │     │     ├─ macOS 26+?
   │     │     │  ├─ Yes → Apple or Docker
   │     │     │  └─ No → Docker
   │     │     └─ Docker
   │     └─ Docker
   └─ Docker (default isolated choice)

Setting Default Backend

Configure your preferred default in ~/.clauderon/config.toml:

[general]
default_backend = "docker"  # or zellij, kubernetes, sprites, apple

Or specify per-session:

clauderon create --backend docker --repo ~/project --prompt "Task"

See Also

• Zellij Backend - Detailed Zellij guide
• Docker Backend - Detailed Docker guide
• Kubernetes Backend - Detailed Kubernetes guide
• Sprites Backend - Detailed Sprites guide
• Apple Container - Detailed Apple guide