Runtime
Compatibility
What each runner currently supports.
Different runners support different features.
The table below reflects our current compatibility matrix.
Runner Matrix
| Runner | Live recording | Screenshot video assembly | Checkpoint caching | savevm | user_accounts behavior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
docker | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | provision_from_spec |
qemu | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | preprovisioned_accounts |
qemu_native | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | preprovisioned_accounts |
avd | No | Yes | Yes | No | metadata_only |
avd_native | No | Yes | Yes | No | metadata_only |
apptainer | No | Yes | No | No | preprovisioned_accounts |
avf | No | Yes | No | No | preprovisioned_accounts |
modal | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | preprovisioned_accounts |
modal_native | No | Yes | Yes | No | preprovisioned_accounts |
use_computer | No | Yes | No | No | preprovisioned_accounts |
local | No | No | No | No | unsupported |
What The user_accounts Modes Mean
provision_from_spec: the runner creates and configures accounts fromEnvSpec.user_accountspreprovisioned_accounts: accounts are expected to already exist in the guest; the spec is treated mainly as credential metadatametadata_only: the fields describe expected credentials or roles, but the runner doesn't provision guest accountsunsupported: the runner doesn't support this feature
Notes By Runner
Docker
Docker is the only runner with built-in live FFmpeg episode recording during reset.
- creates accounts from
EnvSpec.user_accounts
QEMU and QEMU Native
- support checkpoint caching and
savevm - rely on prebuilt guest accounts rather than creating accounts from the spec
AVD and AVD Native
- support checkpoint caching
- treat account information as metadata rather than provisioning Android users
Modal Native
- runs Linux environments directly in a Modal VM Sandbox without nested QEMU
- maps the existing CPU, memory, display, networking, mounts, hooks, and
gaaccount contract - supports filesystem checkpoint caching but not memory-state
savevm - rejects GPU, Windows, Android, and macOS environments explicitly
Apptainer Direct
- no checkpoint caching
- typically uses a prebuilt
gauser in the standard direct-Apptainer setup
AVF
- uses Apple Virtualization Framework
- no checkpoint caching
- requires macOS on Apple Silicon with the needed host tools installed
Local
- synthetic-observation backend for validating orchestration only
- doesn't provide full screenshot or recording behavior
Two Useful Commands
To inspect compatibility from the CLI:
gym-anything compatibility
gym-anything compatibility --runner avfTo check whether a runner is actually available on the current machine:
gym-anything doctor
gym-anything doctor --runner avf