FAQ

How do I sign up?

Sign in to the console with GitHub, Google, or an email code; your first sign-in creates your user. Organizations are set up by your VMYard operator, so ask them to add you if the console says you have none.

What is the API's base URL?

It depends on your deployment. Set VMYARD_API_URL to the origin you were given. The CLI and SDKs have no default, so they never send a key to a guessed host.

Am I billed while a machine is stopped?

No. Billing is per second, only while VMYard observes the machine running. See Usage, billing, and limits.

Why did my machine stop on its own?

Auto-stop reached its deadline (new machines stop after 1 hour by default), idle sleep found it idle for its window (only when you turned it on), or the organization's balance ran out and stayed empty past the grace period. All emit machine.stopped, and the stop operation's stop_reason says which: auto_stop, idle_sleep, billing, or api for a stop someone asked for. Activity inside the machine doesn't extend auto-stop.

Are my files kept when a machine stops?

Yes, files in /work are kept until the machine is deleted. Don't count on running processes or in-memory state surviving a stop.

Can a machine sleep when idle and wake on the next request?

It can sleep when idle: turn on idle sleep and VMYard stops the machine once it has shown no activity for the window you chose. It is off by default.

It does not wake on the next request: start a sleeping machine to wake it. See Sleep and wake.

Can I snapshot, fork, or template a machine?

Yes, from the console, the CLI (vy snapshot, vy templates save, vy fork, vy restore), the SDKs, or the HTTP API. Push a stopped machine as a warm or cold snapshot, save it as a template to create machines from, or fork a running machine. Every copy is a new machine with its own ID and identity.

My command exited non-zero. Why did the operation fail?

An exec operation succeeds only when the command exits with code 0. A non-zero exit ends it failed with exec_nonzero; the output is still in exec_result. See Running commands.

How long can a command run?

A foreground command can run up to 10 minutes (timeout_ms up to 600,000). Use a background command for anything longer.

I retried a request. Did it run twice?

Not if you sent the same Idempotency-Key and body: VMYard returns the original operation. See Operations and idempotency.

Why does my API key get 403 insufficient_scope?

Its preset doesn't include that route. Reading files and command status counts as using a machine and needs use_existing; webhooks need full_access. See API keys and presets.

Why can't I manage API keys with an API key?

Key management needs a signed-in browser session so a leaked key can't mint more keys. Use the console, or vy login to get a new key.

Does vy logout revoke my key?

No. It deletes the key from your computer. Revoke it in the console under API keys.

How do I share a running service?

Expose the port. Keep it private and hand out short-lived tokens, or make it public.

Can I connect over SSH?

Yes, with your own public key through VMYard's SSH gateway. See SSH; vy ssh <machine> installs your key if needed and connects.

Status and support

Open /status, no sign-in needed. It shows whether the API, the dashboard, and the docs are operational, degraded, down, or unknown, and when they were last checked. It also lists current incidents and scheduled maintenance when your deployment publishes them. It shows current state only, with no uptime history.

When the console itself is down, use your deployment's independent status page: it runs on a separate host, so it stays up, and it keeps its recent check history. The console's footer links to it when your deployment runs one. See Status page.

For help, open Support in the console sidebar, or /support. It shows your deployment's support contacts. Copy diagnostic info copies your user ID, organization ID, recent operation IDs, and the console version, so support can find your requests. It never includes your session, CSRF token, or API keys.

Where are the docs as Markdown?

Add .md to any docs URL, or use Copy page. /llms.txt lists every page and /llms-full.txt has them all in one file.