> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bead.run/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# VM isolation

> Understand VM isolation on bead and how account authority and guest credentials control access to workloads.

Rely on VM isolation on bead to run Linux workloads in isolated virtual machines. Account authorization controls who can operate them; credentials inside a guest determine what the workload can access elsewhere.

## Isolation between machines

Each machine has its own guest memory and private writable disk. Forks create independent copies of captured state. Applications can still share external databases, provider accounts, or credentials that you give them.

Use a separate machine for each workload that needs its own execution boundary. A fork copies tenant contents, including files, process memory, browser sessions, and cached application identity. Review that state before giving a child to another user.

## Who can reach a machine

API operations require a valid credential with the appropriate organization authority and scope. Guest execution, file access, application forwarding, and desktop access use their respective authorization paths.

Authenticated application URLs require authorization. Desktop and worktree share links have a different access model: possession of a valid link can grant its specified access. Share them privately. See [Application URLs](https://docs.bead.run/connect/public-urls.md), [Watch and takeover](https://docs.bead.run/agents/watch-takeover.md), and [Share a dev preview](https://docs.bead.run/worktrees/sharing.md).

## Account credentials and guest credentials

Your bead API credential authorizes account operations. A credential profile delivers provider access to a workload. Giving a guest a provider credential lets processes with access to that material use it.

Human subscription sign-in happens through the dashboard's Agents & credentials flow. Use [credential profiles](https://docs.bead.run/agents/credentials.md) for supported API-key delivery. Keep platform account keys outside guests unless the workload explicitly needs that authority.

## Snapshots and data

Snapshots preserve memory and disk. Environment variables and secrets already present in process heaps or files can survive capture and fork. Removing a credential profile or a local file does not scrub previous checkpoints.

Read [Protect credentials](https://docs.bead.run/security/credentials.md), [Where your data goes](https://docs.bead.run/security/data.md), and [Data retention and deletion](https://docs.bead.run/security/retention.md).


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