Provision Cloud Machines on Demand with the Coasty /v1/machines API
You want your computer use agent to run on a real desktop, not a sandboxed headless environment. You need a machine that can launch browsers, connect to SSH, or interact with local apps, but you do not want to manage infrastructure yourself. The /v1/machines endpoint lets you provision a cloud VM from your code, start it, stop it, and take snapshots. Your agent then drives that machine through the Coasty computer use API.
How it works
You POST to /v1/machines with a machine_id, OS type, and optional region. The server creates a new cloud VM and returns an object containing the machine_id, status, and connection details like the SSH host and port. You use the SSH connection to start the Coasty agent on that machine. You can stop or snapshot the machine with separate endpoints. The agent bills $0.05 per step, and each machine provision costs nothing extra.
curl -X POST https://coasty.ai/v1/machines \
-H "X-API-Key: $COASTY_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"machine_id": "my-agent-001",
"os": "linux",
"region": "us-east-1"
}'Key fields and actions
- ●machine_id: your unique identifier for the VM.
- ●os: the OS type (linux, windows, or mac) to provision.
- ●region: the cloud region for the VM.
- ●status: the current state of the machine (e.g., provisioning, running, stopped).
- ●ssh_host: the hostname of the VM for SSH connections.
- ●ssh_port: the port for SSH connections.
- ●actions: start_machine, stop_machine, and snapshot_machine.
POST to /v1/machines to create a cloud VM, then use the returned ssh_host and ssh_port to start your computer use agent on that machine.
Where this beats brittle automation
Traditional automation relies on CSS selectors, XPath, and hardcoded coordinates. When UI changes, these scripts break. A computer use agent that can see the screen and act like a human can adapt to layout shifts, dynamic IDs, and unexpected states. By provisioning a real desktop machine, you give your agent full access to local tools, browsers, and terminals, making your automation resilient and truly autonomous.
Start building agents that work on real machines, not simulated environments. Use the /v1/machines endpoint to spin up cloud VMs on demand, then drive them with the Coasty computer use API. Get your API key at https://coasty.ai/developers and build the next generation of autonomous desktop workflows.