Firecracker Poc


Firecracker POC

A proof-of-concept project demonstrating secure Python code execution in isolated microVMs using AWS Firecracker virtualization technology.


Overview

This project provides a secure sandbox environment for executing Python code using Firecracker microVMs. It features:

• Secure Isolation: Python code execution in lightweight, secure microVMs
• REST API: Axum-based web server with clean JSON responses
• HTTP API Communication: VM-host communication via HTTP for reliable execution
• VM Pooling: Pre-warmed VM pool for optimized latency (<1s for subsequent requests)
• Unique Network Isolation: Each VM gets its own subnet (172.16.x.0/24) preventing conflicts
• Smart TAP Interface Management: Prevents cleanup conflicts between active VMs
• Test-Friendly: Unit tests run without sudo requirements using intelligent test detection
• Cross-Platform: Runs on macOS using Lima VMs with KVM support
• Production Ready: Comprehensive test suite with robust error handling

Architecture

┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   Client        │───▶│   Rust Backend  │───▶│  VM Pool        │
│   (HTTP)        │    │   (Axum Server) │    │  (Pre-warmed)   │
└─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘
                                │                       │
                                ▼                       ▼
                       ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
                       │   Lima VM       │    │  Firecracker    │
                       │   (x86_64)      │    │   microVMs      │
                       └─────────────────┘    │  + HTTP API     │
                                              │  + TAP Networks │
                                              └─────────────────┘

Key Components

• VM Pool: Pre-warmed Firecracke