Code Airlock vs Baton
Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool
Code Airlock
🔴Developerdeveloper-tools
A thin CLI wrapper around Docker Sandboxes that runs Claude Code, Codex, or OpenCode in a disposable microVM against a clone of your repo, then brings the work back as ordinary git commits for review.
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CustomBaton
🔴Developerdeveloper-tools
A macOS menu bar app that tracks every Claude Code and Codex session on your machine and tells you which AI coding agent is waiting on you right now.
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CustomFeature Comparison
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Code Airlock - Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Real security boundary at the microVM level — not just agent-side prompts
- ✓Host repo stays read-only; every change comes back as a reviewable git commit
- ✓Multi-agent: swap between Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode with one flag
- ✓Sandbox never needs GitHub creds — PRs push from the host
- ✓MIT licensed with npm/Homebrew/curl installs and preflight `doctor` diagnostics
Cons
- ✗Requires Docker Sandboxes and KVM/virtualization on the host
- ✗No MCP integration — wraps agents but doesn't extend their tool surface
- ✗Extra latency vs. running the agent directly on the host
- ✗Small project (thin wrapper) — you're also depending on the underlying sbx CLI
- ✗Adds cognitive load: another layer between you and the agent
Baton - Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Free, open source (MIT), no telemetry, nothing leaves the machine
- ✓Sub-second updates via FSEvents; negligible CPU/battery cost
- ✓Handles both Claude Code and Codex in one unified view
- ✓Click-to-jump saves the biggest actual cost of multi-agent work: finding the right window
- ✓One-line install with an isolated venv — clean uninstall too
Cons
- ✗macOS only; no Linux or Windows menu bar equivalent
- ✗Requires Python 3.9+ on the host (3.11+ for Codex automation tracking)
- ✗Only tracks Claude Code and Codex — other coding agents (Cursor, Cline, Aider) not supported
- ✗No push notifications to phone / other devices; menu bar only
- ✗Read-only by design — cannot send input back to sessions
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