> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.superserve.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Read a file from a sandbox

> Returns the file at `path` as raw bytes. To download a directory, set `format=zip` to receive its contents as a zip archive.




## OpenAPI

````yaml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/superserve-ai/sandbox/refs/heads/main/api/openapi.yaml get /files
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Superserve API
  version: 0.1.0
  description: >
    Superserve provides sandbox infrastructure to run AI agents in the cloud.
    Powered by Firecracker MicroVMs.


    ## Sandbox lifecycle


    ```

    active <--> paused --> deleted

    ```


    A sandbox is `active` when running and `paused` after being paused. Resuming

    a paused sandbox returns it to `active`. Deleting releases all resources.


    | Endpoint | What it does |

    |----------|-------------|

    | `POST /sandboxes` | Create a new sandbox (optionally `from_template`) |

    | `PATCH /sandboxes/:id` | Partially update a running sandbox (e.g. network
    rules) |

    | `POST /sandboxes/:id/pause` | Snapshot full state, suspend the VM |

    | `POST /sandboxes/:id/resume` | Restore from snapshot, continue where it
    left off |

    | `DELETE /sandboxes/:id` | Delete sandbox and all resources |


    ## Sandbox environment


    By default sandboxes boot from the curated `superserve/base` template
    (Ubuntu 24.04,

    1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 4 GB disk, with Python 3.12, Node.js 22, npm, git, curl,

    and build-essential pre-installed). Callers can override with any template

    name (e.g. `superserve/python-3.11`, `superserve/node-22`) or a team-owned
    template UUID

    via the `from_template` field on `POST /sandboxes`.


    ## Files and commands


    `/files`, `/exec`, and `/exec/stream` run against a single sandbox and use

    its `X-Access-Token` (returned by create, resume, and activate), not the

    team API key. Two host forms reach them:


    - `https://sandbox.superserve.ai/...` with `X-Superserve-Sandbox-Id:
    <sandbox_id>`.

    - `https://boxd-{sandbox_id}.sandbox.superserve.ai/...` — no routing header
    needed.
  contact:
    name: Superserve Team
  license:
    name: Proprietary
servers:
  - url: https://api.superserve.ai
    description: Production
security: []
paths:
  /files:
    servers:
      - url: https://sandbox.superserve.ai
        description: Shared host — send the sandbox ID in `X-Superserve-Sandbox-Id`.
      - url: https://boxd-{sandbox_id}.sandbox.superserve.ai
        description: Per-sandbox host.
        variables:
          sandbox_id:
            default: ''
            description: The sandbox ID.
    parameters:
      - name: path
        in: query
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
        description: |
          Absolute path inside the sandbox (e.g. `/home/user/out.txt`).
    get:
      tags:
        - Files
      summary: Read a file from a sandbox
      description: >
        Returns the file at `path` as raw bytes. To download a directory, set
        `format=zip` to receive its contents as a zip archive.
      operationId: readFile
      parameters:
        - name: format
          in: query
          required: false
          description: >
            Set to `zip` to download the directory at `path` as a zip archive.
            Omit when downloading a single file.
          schema:
            type: string
            enum:
              - zip
      responses:
        '200':
          description: File contents, or a zip archive when `format=zip`.
          content:
            application/octet-stream:
              schema:
                type: string
                format: binary
            application/zip:
              schema:
                type: string
                format: binary
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '404':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
        '500':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/InternalError'
      security:
        - accessToken: []
components:
  responses:
    BadRequest:
      description: Invalid request
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
    Unauthorized:
      description: Missing or invalid API key
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
    NotFound:
      description: Resource not found
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
    InternalError:
      description: Internal server error
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
  schemas:
    Error:
      type: object
      description: |
        Error envelope. `error.code` is a stable, machine-readable identifier
        (e.g. `bad_request`, `not_found`, `conflict`, `rate_limited`,
        `too_many_builds`, `too_many_templates`, `too_many_sandboxes`,
        `image_pull_failed`, `step_failed`, `snapshot_failed`,
        `start_cmd_failed`, `ready_cmd_failed`, `build_failed`).
        `error.message` is human-readable and may change between releases;
        clients should branch on `code`, not `message`.
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          properties:
            code:
              type: string
            message:
              type: string
  securitySchemes:
    accessToken:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: X-Access-Token
      description: >
        Per-sandbox token returned by create, resume, and activate. Grants
        access to a single sandbox's files and commands. Distinct from the team
        `X-API-Key`.

````