> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.augmentcode.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cosmos Environments

> The compute environment where your agents access filesystem, repositories, execute code, and run tools. They can be an Augment-hosted cloud sandbox, virtual machine, or even your laptop.

## About environments

Environments provide a consistent workspace for agents to run commands and execute code. An environment includes your repositories, toolchain, and Cosmos dependencies like [Auggie](/cli/overview). You can host your environment on Augment's cloud sandboxes, or use self-hosted daemons to use your own virtual machine infrastructure or laptop.

The fastest way to experience Cosmos is to run the daemon on a development machine you already have configured, like your laptop.

## Getting started

|                                  | **Cloud environment**                                         | **Self-hosted daemon**                                                                |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Where it runs**                | Augment infrastructure                                        | Your machine (laptop, virtual machine, devbox)                                        |
| **Setup**                        | Configure with repos, tools, and secrets                      | Run `auggie daemon` on the host                                                       |
| **Network access**               | Configured egress only                                        | Same as host                                                                          |
| **Concurrency**                  | Unlimited                                                     | Bounded by the number of daemons you've connected                                     |
| **Persistence between sessions** | New each sessions                                             | Disk and other state persists                                                         |
| **Cost model**                   | Billed per minute of uptime                                   | No additional costs                                                                   |
| **Best for**                     | Most workflows. Reproducible, isolated, scales with the team. | Local-network access, custom hardware, regulated data that can't leave your premises. |

### Cloud environments

A cloud environment is a reproducible image that Cosmos uses with each session. You build it once by choosing a base image, selecting repositories, set environment variables, and install dependencies and every session that targets it starts from that snapshot.

Read more about [cloud environments](/cosmos/environments/cloud) or [create a new environment](https://cosmos.augmentcode.com/environments/create).

### Self-hosted daemons

A daemon is a long-running Cosmos process on a machine you operate, virtual or physical. Sessions targeted at the daemon execute on that machine and have access to its CPU, disk, and network. Use daemons when the work needs to happen somewhere specific like your laptop, a VPC-bound virtual machine, a Mac mini that handles iOS builds, or a virtual devbox.

Read more about [self-hosted daemons](/cosmos/environments/daemons).