Dev Sandbox
Local MeshKit storage for repeatable CLI development.
The dev sandbox is the CLI's local MeshKit provider state. It lets separate commands share encrypted objects, proof metadata, and provider events without running live infrastructure.
Use it for first-run tutorials, local debugging, CI smoke checks, and reproducible bug reports. Do not use it as a production storage layer.
Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
meshkit.config.json | Selects the provider profile and app ID. meshkit init creates a local-dev profile. |
.env.local | Local environment hints. Keep secrets out of committed files. |
.meshkit/local-dev.json | Persisted local-dev provider state. This is what makes dev put, inspect, and logs work across commands. |
You can override the state path with:
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit dev --store .meshkit/demo.json --jsonCreate A Sandbox
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit init --json
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit dev --jsoninit does not overwrite existing files. If you want a fresh sandbox, create a new --store path or remove the old local-dev state intentionally.
Store And Inspect A Sample
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit dev put note.txt "local encrypted note" --json
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit inspect <cid-from-dev-put> --json
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit logs --jsonThe content is encrypted before it is stored in the local provider state. The returned CID identifies the encrypted envelope bytes. Inspection reads MeshKit proof metadata for that CID.
Preserve Or Reset
Preserve the sandbox when:
- You are debugging a CID returned by an earlier command.
- You need provider events for a bug report.
- You want a tutorial to build on previous local writes.
Reset or replace the sandbox when:
- Proof lookup succeeds only because stale local state exists.
- You are switching demos or reproductions and want clean output.
- A CI job should not reuse state from a previous run.
Use explicit store paths for repeatable jobs:
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit init --store .meshkit/ci-local.json --json
npx -p @meshkit/cli meshkit dev put ci.txt "ci smoke" --store .meshkit/ci-local.json --jsonWhat Local-Dev Does Not Prove
Local-dev does not prove:
- A live Kubo, Cluster, gateway, pinning service, metadata service, Filecoin bridge, or policy provider is reachable.
- Your browser or mobile runtime has the same storage and crypto behavior.
- Provider authentication, rate limits, retries, gateway consistency, or cleanup behavior are production-ready.
Move to Provider testing when you need live infrastructure evidence.
Safe Handling
Treat .meshkit/local-dev.json as development state. It should not contain provider tokens, but it can contain local proof metadata, encrypted payloads, and diagnostic events. Do not commit it unless the repository explicitly uses it as a fixture and the contents have been reviewed.