feat: external compute driver extension point
Open
@elezar is already working on this.
Since Jun 16, 2026.
area:cli
area:gateway
- Dominant language
- Rust
- Stars
- 8.7k
- Forks
- 1.3k
- Avg merge
- 2d 11h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 253
Description
Description
Track the extensibility capability proposed by NVIDIA/OpenShell#1703: allowing the gateway to connect to an operator-owned, out-of-tree compute driver over a Unix domain socket via --compute-driver-socket / OPENSHELL_COMPUTE_DRIVER_SOCKET.
At a high level, this lets OpenShell keep the gateway and sandbox lifecycle contract stable while allowing compute backends to live outside the core repository and speak the existing compute_driver.proto interface.
Context
- Implementation PR: NVIDIA/OpenShell#1703
- Parent extensibility roadmap: NVIDIA/OpenShell#1904
What This Unlocks
- Lets operators integrate platform-specific compute backends without requiring every backend to be built into OpenShell.
- Allows managed or opinionated infrastructure environments to provide their own sandbox lifecycle driver while using the upstream gateway image.
- Keeps the in-tree driver set focused on common backends while enabling external driver experimentation and adoption.
- Creates a path for partner, internal, or deployment-specific compute drivers to evolve independently from the core gateway release cycle.
Definition of Done
- The external compute driver activation path is accepted, merged, or closed with a clear disposition.
- Follow-on issues are created for any accepted v1 hardening, documentation, registry, or testing work.
- Child work is linked under the relevant roadmap/project item so project tracking stays accurate.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.