Framework
Runners
The different ways Gym Anything can start environments.
Runner is the project word for how an environment gets started.
You don't need this page when first trying Gym Anything.
It becomes important when:
- something doesn't start on your machine
- you want a different way to launch environments
- you need a feature that only some launch methods support
Common Options
We support several launch methods, including:
- Docker
- Apptainer direct
- QEMU
- AVD
- AVF on Apple Silicon
- Local
Easiest First Step
If you're unsure what works on your machine, gym-anything doctor is the fastest way to see what's installed and what's missing.
gym-anything doctorWhat Changes Between Launch Methods
Different launch methods support different things.
For example, depending on how you start the environment, support may differ for:
- caching
- recording
- save-and-restore features
- platform-specific behavior
You usually only need to care about these differences once you move beyond the first run.
Quick Feature Table
If your question is simply "does this support caching?" or "can I use savevm here?", use this table:
| Launch method | Caching | use_savevm | Live recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker | Yes | No | Yes |
| Apptainer direct | No | No | No |
| QEMU | Yes | Yes | No |
| AVD | Yes | No | No |
| AVF | No | No | No |
| Local | No | No | No |
This reflects our current runner behavior.