{"id":89628,"title":"c/ua - Docker Container for Computer-Use Agents","tagline":"c/ua runs lightweight containers for Computer-Use AI Agents with your own language models.","body":"### **📚 TL;DR**\n\n**c/ua** is an open-source framework that enables AI agents to control full operating systems within high-performance, lightweight virtual containers. It delivers up to **97% native CPU speed on Apple Silicon** and works with any language models: [**https://github.com/trycua/cua**](https://github.com/trycua/cua).\n\n\u003chttps://youtu.be/Ee9qf-13gho\u003e\n\n### **⚒️ The Problem**\n\nFor **Computer-Use AI agents** to be genuinely useful, they must interact with your system's native applications. But giving full access to your host device is **risky** - and not ideal. What if the agent's process gets compromised, or the LLM hallucinates and leaks your data? And practically speaking, do you really want to **give up control** of your entire machine just so the agent can do its job?\n\n**In short: How can AI agents interact with operating systems, desktop applications, and browsers without jeopardizing security or sacrificing performance?**\n\n### **⭐ Solution: An end-to-end framework**\n\nWe combined **Apple's Virtualization.Framework** with an agent-friendly interface to create:\n\n\\- **Lightweight VMs**: Run at 97% of native CPU speed on Apple Silicon, giving you near-native performance in a secure, virtualized space.\n\n\\- **Sandboxed Execution**: AI agents operate in tightly controlled environments, allowing secure interaction with desktop applications - without risking your host system.\n\n\\- **LLM-Compatible Runtimes**: Works out-of-the-box with popular LLM providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and open-source tools like Ollama, LM Studio, and OpenRouter.\n\nAnd we now support **MCP**! You can use Claude Desktop or Cursor, as your personal assistant to navigate even notoriously challenging apps like Tableau. Watch the demo to see it in action!\n\n[**https://youtu.be/NTUVU1aBs3c**](https://youtu.be/NTUVU1aBs3c)\n\n### **⚙️ How It Works**\n\n**c/ua** brings together three powerful components into one unified framework stack:\n\n1\\. **Lume** - Our high-performance Virtualization layer leverages Apple's Virtualization.Framework to spin up macOS or Linux environments.\n\n2\\. **Computer-Use Interface (CUI)** - This layer lets any process or AI agent - no matter which framework it's built on (like AutoGen, LangGraph, etc.) - see the screen and interact with Lume VMs just like a human would. It supports actions such as clicking, typing, scrolling, and extracting the visual accessibility tree.\n\n3\\. **Computer-Use Agent (CUA)** - Built on top of CUI, this general agent framework runs intelligent workflows within these VMs. It's compatible with popular LLM providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, as well as open-source tools like Ollama, LM Studio, and OpenRouter.\n\n![uploaded image](/media/?type=post\u0026id=89628\u0026key=user_uploads/1644303/c3e0e845-3223-4b82-85d1-316e41d9875c)\n\nAn AI agent built with **c/ua** operates within a virtual environment to:\n\n\\- Navigate and interact with any application's interface\n\n\\- Read screen content and perform keyboard/mouse actions\n\n\\- Switch between applications and self-debug when needed\n\n\\- Operate in a secure sandbox with controlled file access\n\nAll of this occurs in a fully isolated environment, ensuring your host system, files, and sensitive data remain completely secure - while you continue using your device without interruption.\n\n### **🖥️ What Can You Build with c/ua?**\n\n**c/ua** lets AI agents use real desktop apps - just like a human. For example:\n\n\\- **CAD Copilot**: Modify 3D models in tools like Fusion 360 or FreeCAD.\n\n\\- **Photoshop Assistant**: Crop, layer, and export assets via prompt.\n\n\\- **Operator for Tableau**: Navigate dashboards and filters with natural language.\n\n\\- **Legacy App Automator**: Control apps and websites with no APIs through UI actions.\n\n### **🤝 Our Asks:**\n\nIf you're done burning money on fragile browser automations or slow, over-engineered computer-use agents - it's time to try c/ua:\n\n* Book a call: \u003chttps://cal.com/francesco-bonacci/cua-demo\u003e\n* Email us: [founders@trycua.com](mailto:founders@trycua.com)\n\nAlso don’t forget to:\n\n1\\. Leave us a star, watch and fork on GitHub: [**https://github.com/trycua/cua**](https://github.com/trycua/cua)\n\n2\\. Join our Discord [**https://discord.com/invite/mVnXXpdE85**](https://discord.com/invite/mVnXXpdE85) - we're building this together","slug":"NJc-c-ua-docker-container-for-computer-use-agents","created_at":"2025-04-17T19:31:20.268Z","updated_at":"2026-05-25T00:14:43.096Z","total_vote_count":68,"url":"https://www.ycombinator.com/launches/NJc-c-ua-docker-container-for-computer-use-agents","share_image_url":"//bookface-static.ycombinator.com/assets/ycdc/yc-og-image-c440a0ad1dacfb86eeeb343717479cc54d256614449b4ef719977a0a451f8bc8.png","company":{"id":30420,"name":"Cua","slug":"cua","url":"https://cua.ai","logo":"https://bookface-images.s3.amazonaws.com/small_logos/388c63ca4d8b705c5dcaf89934394977693456e0.png","batch":"Spring 2025","industry":"B2B","tags":["Open Source"],"search_path":"https://bookface.ycombinator.com/company/30420"}}