Provision Cloud Machines on Demand with the /v1/machines API
You need a real desktop, not a headless container, to test UI flows, automate legacy apps, or run browser workflows. The /v1/machines API provisions a cloud VM on demand so your computer use agent can see the screen and act like a human. No manual setup, no fixed IP, no long-lived servers required.
How it works
The /v1/machines endpoint creates a cloud VM. You pass a machine_id to identify the instance, and the API returns a status, a URL, and other metadata. Once provisioned, your agent connects to that machine to drive the desktop, browser, or terminal. You can start, stop, and snapshot machines through the same API surface.
curl -X POST https://coasty.ai/v1/machines \
-H "X-API-Key: $COASTY_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"machine_id": "my-test-machine",
"cua_version": "v3"
}'Fields and response
- ●machine_id: identifier you choose for the instance.
- ●cua_version: version of the computer use agent (v3 or v4).
- ●status: current state of the machine (running, stopped, etc.).
- ●url: endpoint your agent uses to connect to the desktop.
- ●other optional fields returned by the API.
Use machine_id to manage multiple environments and reuse them across runs and workflows.
Where this beats brittle automation
Traditional automation relies on brittle selectors, XPath, or hardcoded element IDs that break when UI changes. A computer use agent sees the screen, understands context, and clicks, types, or scrolls naturally. With a real desktop in the cloud, your agent can test real browsers, legacy apps, and workflows that no API exposes.
Start building agents that provision their own desktops, run through workflows, and complete complex tasks end to end. Get a key at https://coasty.ai/developers and try the /v1/machines endpoint today.