Stably Orca vs Code Airlock

Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool

Stably Orca

🔴Developer

developer-tools

Desktop AI orchestrator by Stably that runs multiple coding agents side-by-side, each in its own isolated git worktree, tracked in one place.

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Starting Price

$0 (self-hosted)
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Code Airlock

🔴Developer

developer-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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Starting Price

$0 (self-hosted)
Full ReviewVisit Site

Feature Comparison

Scroll horizontally to compare details.

FeatureStably OrcaCode Airlock
Categorydeveloper-toolsdeveloper-tools
Pricing Plans1 listed plan1 listed plan
Starting Price$0 (self-hosted)$0 (self-hosted)
Key Features
  • • Run multiple coding agents side-by-side, each in its own isolated git worktree
  • • Fan one prompt across agents in parallel and merge the winner
  • • Works with any CLI agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot, Cline, and many more)
  • • Runs coding agents in disposable Docker Sandbox microVMs, a boundary below the agent process rather than inside it
  • • Clone mode by default: the agent works in a private clone while your host repo stays read-only
  • • One-command task runs (code-airlock run "...") using each agent's non-interactive mode

Stably Orca - Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓Wraps any CLI agent — vendor-neutral so it stays useful as the coding-agent market churns
  • ✓Isolated git worktrees per agent make parallel experimentation genuinely safe
  • ✓Design Mode collapses the screenshot-plus-CSS-plus-prompt loop into a single click
  • ✓SSH remote worktrees let expensive agent runs live on beefier hardware
  • ✓Mobile companion means you can monitor and steer agents without being at the desk

Cons

  • ✗Desktop-only — no browser or hosted control plane if your primary workstation is locked down
  • ✗No MCP support currently — integration is CLI and Orca-CLI-based
  • ✗Running multiple frontier agents in parallel multiplies your token bill quickly
  • ✗Design Mode requires the Chromium browser inside Orca; it does not observe external browsers
  • ✗Newer entrant — configuration and workflow patterns are still solidifying compared to established IDEs

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

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Review Stably OrcaReview Code Airlock