Architecture overview

mvm keeps build, admission, runtime, and guest control boundaries explicit.

SDK / CLI
  -> mvm local runtime
  -> builder VM for Linux build work
  -> signed plan admission
  -> microVM backend
  -> guest agent and workload

Responsibilities

Component	Owns
SDK	Authoring, lifecycle calls, result surfaces, and local transport choice.
mvm	Build handoff, launch admission, backend lifecycle, guest protocol, local audit.
Builder VM	Linux Nix evaluation, builds, image assembly, microVM-specific tooling.
Guest agent	In-guest process, filesystem, readiness, and telemetry RPC.

See Control surfaces for the current CLI, SDK, MCP, console, and guest RPC entry points.

Security posture

The runtime should be understandable from evidence:

• the artifact identity is known before launch;
• the plan binds resources and policy references;
• the audit chain records runtime decisions;
• credentials are references and grants;
• network access is explicitly mediated;
• snapshot restore carries backend-specific integrity evidence.