Definition
Snapshot
A snapshot is a saved image of a computer's disk and configuration at a point in time. Restoring boots a new session from that known state.
Why it matters
Agents need reproducible environments. Snapshots eliminate cold-start setup for nightly tests and PR review baselines.
How Islo helps
Use `islo snapshot save` and restore with `--snapshot` to pin green builds, seed data, or dependency versions.
Snapshots in agent workflows
A snapshot captures disk state at a point in time: installed packages, seeded database rows, configuration files, and build artifacts. Restoring boots a new session from that image instead of running install scripts from scratch. For nightly regression, you snapshot a known-good environment with test users and payment fixtures. Every run starts from the same baseline.
Snapshots vs fresh environments
Fresh environments are fine when setup is cheap. Snapshots win when dependency install takes minutes, when you need production-shaped data, or when you want every eval attempt to start from identical conditions. PR review often restores a snapshot of main plus the branch diff so agents verify against a realistic stack without rebuilding the world.
Keep reading
Common questions
How do I create a snapshot?
Run `islo snapshot save <name> --name <snapshot>` on a running computer.
Can I share snapshots across teams?
Snapshots are tied to your org; see docs for sharing patterns.
Do snapshots include secrets?
Snapshots capture disk state; use gateway for credentials, not disk storage.
How fast is restore?
Restores are designed for sub-second warm starts in many configurations.
Can CI use a snapshot?
Yes. Pass `--snapshot` when starting computers from CI or SDK.