Provision Cloud Machines on Demand with the /v1/machines API
Traditional automation tools rely on fixed selectors, hardcoded APIs, and brittle UI mappings. When a button changes, a layout shifts, or an element is hidden, your script breaks. The /v1/machines endpoint changes that by letting you provision real cloud desktops on demand. Your computer use agent can see the screen and act like a human, clicking, typing, and navigating just like you would. No more selector maintenance, no more brittle APIs.
How it works
The /v1/machines endpoint creates a cloud VM with a full desktop session. You send a POST request with minimal parameters. The server returns a machine object with an id, status, and other metadata. Once provisioned, you can start, stop, or snapshot the machine. Your agent then connects to that desktop and drives it using the computer use API by seeing screenshots and issuing actions. Each agent step on a live desktop is billed at $0.05, but the machine provision itself is handled by this dedicated endpoint.
# Provision a cloud machine on demand
export COASTY_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
curl -X POST https://coasty.ai/v1/machines \n -H "X-API-Key: $COASTY_API_KEY" \n -H "Content-Type: application/json" \n -d '{
"name": "my-automation-machine",
"os_type": "windows",
"region": "us-west"
}'Key fields and options
- ●name: optional label for the machine
- ●os_type: the OS to provision, such as windows, macos, or linux
- ●region: the geographic region for low latency, such as us-west
- ●id: the unique identifier returned by the server
- ●status: the current state, such as provisioning, running, stopped, or failed
- ●Each agent step on the live desktop is billed at $0.05 per step.
POST /v1/machines creates a cloud desktop you can start, stop, and snapshot, then drive with a computer use agent that sees the screen and acts like a human.
Where this beats brittle automation
With traditional automation, you need to know every API, selector, and DOM structure. If a framework updates or a UI changes, you must rewrite your scripts. The /v1/machines endpoint gives you a real desktop environment. Your computer use agent can see the screen, interpret layouts, and click or type anywhere it can see. It handles dynamic elements, popups, modal dialogs, and evolving UIs without code changes. You get true resilience and the ability to automate anything a human can do on a desktop, browser, or terminal.
Start building agents that operate on real desktops, browsers, and terminals instead of brittle selectors. Get your API key at https://coasty.ai/developers and try provisioning your first machine with /v1/machines today.