---
title: "Modal Sandboxes to Vakna: SDK calls and vakna commands"
description: "Each Modal Sandboxes SDK call next to the vakna command that does the same, what has no equivalent, and where Modal does more."
sources_checked: "2026-10-20"
verified:
  cli: "0.0.0-mock"
  date: "2026-10-20"
---

Each Modal Sandboxes call maps to one `vakna` command below. Their calls are from their public docs, checked on 20 October 2026, with the page for each. Vakna is a CLI; they are SDKs, so a row maps a call to a command, not a function to a function.

## Which vakna command replaces each Modal call?

| Modal (JavaScript SDK) | vakna |
| -- | -- |
| `modal.sandboxes.create(app, image)` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)) | `vakna create` |
| `sb.exec([...])`, then `p.stdout.readText()` and `p.wait()` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)) | `vakna shell <box> -- <command>` |
| `modal.sandboxes.list({ appId })` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)) | `vakna list` |
| `sb.terminate()` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)) | `vakna delete <box>` |
| `sb.snapshotFilesystem()`, then `modal.sandboxes.create(app, snapshot)` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-snapshots)) | `vakna snapshot <box>`, `vakna fork <box> --count <n> -- <command>` |
| `blockNetwork`, `outboundDomainAllowlist` at create ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-networking)) | lockdown by default, `vakna net allow <host>` |
| `sb.filesystem.writeText(...)` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-files)) | `tar c . \| vakna shell <box> -- tar x` |
| `modal.sandboxes.fromId(id)` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)) | address the box by name or id in any command |

## What has no equivalent in Vakna?

- Images defined in code, such as `modal.Image.debian_slim().pip_install(...)` ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)).
- Tunnels that expose a port to the internet, raw TCP included ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-networking)).
- Volumes mounted into a sandbox ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-files)).

## Where does Modal do more?

- SDKs in Python, JavaScript and Go, Python first ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)).
- Sandboxes that run up to 24 hours, with an idle timeout ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandboxes)).
- Many sandboxes from one filesystem snapshot, and directory snapshots mounted into another sandbox ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-snapshots)).

## What does Vakna do that Modal's docs don't show?

- Suspend and resume with processes and memory kept. Modal documents no pause; its memory snapshots are experimental and end the sandbox ([docs](https://modal.com/docs/guide/sandbox-snapshots)).
- A fork's receipt groups failures by signature.