Drivers

OpenShell uses drivers to connect the gateway to workload runtimes and credential stores. Drivers implement a stable capability boundary while the gateway owns the public API, authorization, workspace scoping, and resource lifecycle.

Compute Drivers

Compute drivers create, inspect, and delete sandbox workloads. OpenShell ships drivers for Kubernetes, Docker, Podman, virtual machines, and Windows MXC. An external compute driver communicates with the gateway over a Unix domain socket and negotiates its protocol version and capabilities before serving requests.

For built-in driver configuration and behavior, refer to Runtimes.

Credential Drivers

Credential drivers store provider credentials behind opaque handles. The gateway resolves those handles when a provider is attached without persisting the secret value in the provider record. OpenShell includes database, Kubernetes Secret, and Vault-compatible credential drivers.

Configure the active credential driver in the Gateway Configuration.

Compatibility

Drivers exchange peer metadata with the gateway and advertise their extension family capability. Upgrade both peers together when the protocol version changes. Refer to Extensibility Overview for the negotiation contract.