> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.computesdk.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.computesdk.com/providers/lightning.md).

# Lightning

{% embed url="<https://www.computesdk.com/benchmarks/sandboxes/lightning/>" %}

Lightning AI provider for ComputeSDK — create and manage [Lightning AI](https://lightning.ai/) cloud sandboxes: run shell commands, read/write files, and manage the sandbox lifecycle.

## Installation & Setup

```bash
npm install @computesdk/lightning
```

> The underlying `@lightningai/sdk` is published ESM-only and requires **Node.js 22+**. This package loads it via dynamic `import()`, so it works from both ESM and CommonJS projects.

Add your Lightning AI credentials to a `.env` file:

```bash
LIGHTNING_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
# Optional: override the Lightning Cloud base URL
LIGHTNING_CLOUD_URL=https://lightning.ai
```

`LIGHTNING_SANDBOX_API_KEY` is also accepted and takes precedence over `LIGHTNING_API_KEY`, matching the SDK.

## Usage

```typescript
import { lightning } from '@computesdk/lightning';

const compute = lightning({
  apiKey: process.env.LIGHTNING_API_KEY,
});

// Create sandbox
const sandbox = await compute.sandbox.create();

// Run a command
const result = await sandbox.runCommand('echo "Hello from Lightning!"');
console.log(result.stdout); // "Hello from Lightning!"

// Clean up
await sandbox.destroy();
```

### Configuration Options

```typescript
interface LightningConfig {
  /** Lightning AI API key - falls back to LIGHTNING_SANDBOX_API_KEY, then LIGHTNING_API_KEY env vars. */
  apiKey?: string;
  /** Lightning Cloud base URL - falls back to LIGHTNING_CLOUD_URL, then production. */
  baseUrl?: string;
  /** Instance type for new sandboxes (e.g. "cpu-1", "cpu-2", ... "cpu-16"). Defaults to "cpu-1". */
  instanceType?: string;
  /** Curated runtime image for new sandboxes (e.g. "node24", "python313"). */
  runtime?: string;
  /** Whether new sandboxes persist filesystem state across stops via auto-snapshots. */
  persistent?: boolean;
  /** Request spot capacity for new sandboxes. */
  spot?: boolean;
  /** Ports to expose on new sandboxes when none are supplied per-create. */
  ports?: number[];
  /** Maximum sandbox lifetime in milliseconds before auto-stop. */
  timeout?: number;
}
```

### Supported Operations

| Method       | Supported | Notes                                                                                                               |
| ------------ | --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `create`     | ✅         | Honors `instanceType`, `runtime`, `ports`, `spot`, `persistent`, `timeout`; boot from a `snapshotId`.               |
| `getById`    | ✅         | Reconnects by id.                                                                                                   |
| `list`       | ✅         |                                                                                                                     |
| `destroy`    | ✅         |                                                                                                                     |
| `runCommand` | ✅         | Supports `cwd`, `env`, `background`. Combined stdout/stderr surfaced on `stdout` (`stderr` left empty).             |
| `getInfo`    | ✅         |                                                                                                                     |
| `getUrl`     | ✅         | Returns the public HTTPS URL for a port; the port must be declared via `ports` at create time, otherwise it throws. |
| `filesystem` | ✅         | `readFile`, `writeFile`, `mkdir`, `readdir`, `exists`, `remove`.                                                    |
| `snapshot`   | ✅         | `compute.snapshot.create` / `list` / `delete`, and restore via `snapshotId` on create.                              |

### Notes

* **Node.js 22+** is required by the underlying `@lightningai/sdk`.
* **Combined output** — stdout and stderr are returned as a single combined stream on `result.stdout`.
* **Snapshots** — Lightning snapshots are unnamed, so `CreateSnapshotOptions.name` / `metadata` are accepted for parity but not persisted. `/tmp` and other platform defaults are excluded from snapshots — persist data under `$HOME` to survive a restore.
* **Credentials & concurrency** — the SDK stores auth in process-global state, so the provider serializes the brief credential switch between provider instances using *different* API keys. Same-key operations run fully concurrently.
* Drop down to the native SDK sandbox via `sandbox.getInstance()`.


---

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