feat(box): add box.enabled toggle and gate consumers on availability

Make the Box sandbox runtime optional. When ``box.enabled`` is false in
config (or when an enabled Box fails to connect), every dependent feature
degrades to the same disabled-state UX rather than crashing or silently
falling back to less safe code paths.

Backend:

- config.yaml: new top-level ``box.enabled: true`` flag (default true)
- BoxService:
  - Read box.enabled on construction
  - initialize() short-circuits when disabled — no remote WS connect, no
    stdio subprocess fork
  - _on_runtime_disconnect is a no-op when disabled (no reconnect loop
    on a deliberately-off service)
  - get_status() now exposes ``enabled`` so the frontend can tell
    "disabled in config" from "configured but failed"
- MCP stdio loader (mcp_stdio.uses_box_stdio): requires box_service to
  be available, not just installed
- MCP _init_stdio_python_server: when ap.box_service exists but is
  unavailable, refuse the stdio server with an actionable error instead
  of silently falling through to host-stdio (which bypasses the sandbox
  the operator asked for). Setups without ap.box_service installed at
  all keep the legacy host-stdio fallback for pre-Box dev mode
- SkillService._require_box_for_write: refuses create/update/install/
  write_skill_file when ap.box_service is installed but unavailable.
  Distinguishes disabled vs failed in the error message so the UI can
  surface the right hint. Legacy setups (no ap.box_service) keep the
  local fallback path — that distinction is what keeps the existing
  local-skills tests valid

Tests:
- Box disabled-state behavior (4 cases)
- Skill write refusal in disabled & failed states (7 cases)
- MCP stdio runtime info policy updated to match new refuse-when-down
  behavior

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/langbot/pkg/api/http/service/skill.py

@@ -74,6 +74,34 @@ class SkillService:
             return box_service
         return None
 
+    def _require_box_for_write(self, action: str) -> None:
+        """Refuse a write operation when Box is installed but unavailable.
+
+        Distinguishes three states:
+        - Box available → no-op (caller proceeds via the Box delegate path).
+        - Box installed but disabled by config or currently failed → raise
+          with a clear, actionable message. The frontend translates this to
+          a banner / disabled affordance.
+        - Box not installed at all (legacy / pre-Box dev mode, no
+          ``ap.box_service`` attribute) → also no-op so the local-skills
+          fallback still works for that minimal setup.
+        """
+        ap_box = getattr(self.ap, 'box_service', None)
+        if ap_box is None:
+            return  # legacy mode, allow local fallback
+        if getattr(ap_box, 'available', False):
+            return  # Box is up, delegate path will be used
+        if not getattr(ap_box, 'enabled', True):
+            reason = 'disabled in config (box.enabled = false)'
+        else:
+            connector_error = getattr(ap_box, '_connector_error', '') or 'currently unavailable'
+            reason = f'unavailable: {connector_error}'
+        raise ValueError(
+            f'{action} requires the Box runtime, which is {reason}. '
+            f'Enable Box in config.yaml (box.enabled = true) and ensure the '
+            f'runtime is reachable before retrying.'
+        )
+
     @staticmethod
     def _serialize_skill(skill: dict) -> dict:
         return {field: skill.get(field) for field in _PUBLIC_SKILL_FIELDS if field in skill}
@@ -100,6 +128,7 @@ class SkillService:
         return await self.get_skill(name)
 
     async def create_skill(self, data: dict) -> dict:
+        self._require_box_for_write('Creating a skill')
         box_service = self._box_service()
         if box_service is not None:
             created = await box_service.create_skill(data)
@@ -146,6 +175,7 @@ class SkillService:
         return created
 
     async def update_skill(self, skill_name: str, data: dict) -> dict:
+        self._require_box_for_write('Editing a skill')
         box_service = self._box_service()
         if box_service is not None:
             updated = await box_service.update_skill(skill_name, data)
@@ -266,6 +296,7 @@ class SkillService:
         }
 
     async def write_skill_file(self, skill_name: str, path: str, content: str) -> dict:
+        self._require_box_for_write('Editing skill files')
         box_service = self._box_service()
         if box_service is not None:
             result = await box_service.write_skill_file(skill_name, path, content)
@@ -294,6 +325,7 @@ class SkillService:
         }
 
     async def install_from_github(self, data: dict) -> list[dict]:
+        self._require_box_for_write('Installing a skill from GitHub')
         owner = str(data['owner']).strip()
         repo = str(data['repo']).strip()
         release_tag = str(data.get('release_tag', '')).strip()
@@ -375,6 +407,7 @@ class SkillService:
         source_paths: list[str] | None = None,
         source_path: str = '',
     ) -> list[dict]:
+        self._require_box_for_write('Installing a skill from upload')
         box_service = self._box_service()
         if box_service is not None:
             installed = await box_service.install_skill_zip(

src/langbot/pkg/box/service.py

@@ -46,8 +46,12 @@ class BoxService:
         output_limit_chars: int = 4000,
     ):
         self.ap = ap
+        self._enabled = self._load_enabled()
         self._runtime_connector: BoxRuntimeConnector | None = None
         if client is None:
+            # Always construct a connector — its __init__ is side-effect free
+            # (no I/O, no subprocess). When ``box.enabled = false`` we simply
+            # skip ``connector.initialize()`` so no connection is attempted.
             self._runtime_connector = BoxRuntimeConnector(ap, runtime_disconnect_callback=self._on_runtime_disconnect)
             client = self._runtime_connector.client
         self.client = client
@@ -64,8 +68,27 @@ class BoxService:
         self._connector_error: str = ''
         self._reconnecting = False
 
+    @property
+    def enabled(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether Box is enabled in config. False means the operator has
+        deliberately turned the sandbox off via ``box.enabled = false``.
+        Disabled and "enabled but unavailable" are reported as the same
+        ``available = False`` to consumers, but distinguished in get_status."""
+        return self._enabled
+
     async def initialize(self):
         self._ensure_default_workspace()
+        if not self._enabled:
+            # Disabled by config: do NOT connect to a remote runtime, do NOT
+            # fork a stdio subprocess. Every consumer of box_service should
+            # gate on ``available`` and degrade gracefully.
+            self._available = False
+            self._connector_error = 'Box runtime is disabled in config (box.enabled = false)'
+            self.ap.logger.info(
+                'Box runtime disabled by config; sandbox features (exec/read/write/edit, '
+                'skill add/edit, stdio MCP) will be unavailable.'
+            )
+            return
         try:
             if self._runtime_connector is not None:
                 await self._runtime_connector.initialize()
@@ -86,7 +109,11 @@ class BoxService:
         """Called by the connector when the Box runtime connection drops.
 
         Spawns a background reconnection loop so the caller is not blocked.
+        Skipped entirely when Box is disabled by config — that path should
+        never have connected in the first place.
         """
+        if not self._enabled:
+            return
         if self._reconnecting:
             return  # Another reconnect loop is already running
         self._reconnecting = True
@@ -523,6 +550,16 @@ class BoxService:
             skills_root = os.path.join(self.host_root, skills_root)
         return os.path.realpath(os.path.abspath(skills_root))
 
+    def _load_enabled(self) -> bool:
+        """Read ``box.enabled`` (top-level, not ``box.local.*``). Default True
+        — disabling is opt-in. Accepts bool, ``'true'``/``'false'`` strings,
+        and the standard env-overridden truthy values that
+        ``LoadConfigStage._apply_env_overrides_to_config`` produces."""
+        raw = _get_box_config(self.ap).get('enabled', True)
+        if isinstance(raw, bool):
+            return raw
+        return str(raw).strip().lower() not in ('false', '0', 'no', 'off', '')
+
     def _load_custom_image(self) -> str | None:
         raw = str(self._local_config().get('image', '') or '').strip()
         return raw or None
@@ -714,6 +751,7 @@ class BoxService:
         if not self._available:
             return {
                 'available': False,
+                'enabled': self._enabled,
                 'profile': self.profile.name,
                 'recent_error_count': len(self._recent_errors),
                 'connector_error': self._connector_error,
@@ -725,6 +763,7 @@ class BoxService:
             # heartbeat hasn't flipped _available yet.
             return {
                 'available': False,
+                'enabled': self._enabled,
                 'profile': self.profile.name,
                 'recent_error_count': len(self._recent_errors),
                 'connector_error': str(exc),
@@ -732,6 +771,7 @@ class BoxService:
         return {
             **runtime_status,
             'available': True,
+            'enabled': self._enabled,
             'profile': self.profile.name,
             'recent_error_count': len(self._recent_errors),
         }

src/langbot/pkg/provider/tools/loaders/mcp.py

@@ -90,6 +90,26 @@ class RuntimeMCPSession:
             await self._box_stdio_runtime.initialize()
             return
 
+        # Box is configured (ap.box_service exists) but currently unavailable
+        # (disabled by config or connection failed). Refuse stdio MCP rather
+        # than silently falling through to host-stdio — the operator asked
+        # for the sandbox and the failure mode should be visible.
+        box_service = getattr(self.ap, 'box_service', None)
+        if box_service is not None and not getattr(box_service, 'available', False):
+            connector_error = getattr(box_service, '_connector_error', '') or 'currently unavailable'
+            if not getattr(box_service, 'enabled', True):
+                reason = 'disabled in config (box.enabled = false)'
+            else:
+                reason = f'unavailable: {connector_error}'
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f'Stdio MCP server "{self.server_name}" requires the Box runtime, '
+                f'which is {reason}. Either enable Box in config.yaml '
+                f'(box.enabled = true) and ensure the runtime is healthy, '
+                f'or switch this MCP server to http/sse transport.'
+            )
+
+        # Legacy: no box_service installed at all (pre-Box dev mode). Fall
+        # through to host-stdio for backward compatibility.
         server_params = StdioServerParameters(
             command=self.server_config['command'],
             args=self.server_config['args'],

src/langbot/pkg/provider/tools/loaders/mcp_stdio.py

@@ -105,7 +105,14 @@ class BoxStdioSessionRuntime:
     def uses_box_stdio(self) -> bool:
         if self.server_config.get('mode') != 'stdio':
             return False
-        return getattr(self.ap, 'box_service', None) is not None
+        box_service = getattr(self.ap, 'box_service', None)
+        if box_service is None:
+            return False
+        # When Box is configured but currently unavailable (disabled or
+        # connection failed), do NOT silently fall through to host-stdio —
+        # that would bypass the sandbox the operator asked for. The caller
+        # is expected to refuse the stdio MCP server with a clear error.
+        return bool(getattr(box_service, 'available', False))
 
     async def initialize(self) -> None:
         await self._wait_for_box_runtime()

src/langbot/templates/config.yaml

@@ -105,6 +105,13 @@ monitoring:
         # Number of expired rows to delete per table batch
         delete_batch_size: 1000
 box:
+    # Master switch for the Box sandbox runtime. When false, LangBot does NOT
+    # attempt to connect to a remote Box runtime nor start a local stdio Box
+    # subprocess. Disabling Box also disables every feature that depends on it:
+    # the native sandbox tools (exec/read/write/edit/glob/grep), the activate
+    # skill tool, skill add/edit, and stdio-mode MCP servers. Skills can still
+    # be listed read-only and http/sse MCP servers continue to work.
+    enabled: true
     backend: 'local'  # 'local' (Docker/nsjail), 'docker', 'nsjail', or 'e2b'. BOX_BACKEND env var takes precedence.
     runtime:
         endpoint: ''  # External Box Runtime base URL, e.g. 'ws://127.0.0.1:5410'. Leave empty for local auto-managed runtime.

tests/unit_tests/box/test_box_service.py

@@ -152,8 +152,10 @@ def make_app(
     profile: str = 'default',
     host_root: str = '',
     workspace_quota_mb: int | None = None,
+    enabled: bool = True,
 ):
     box_config = {
+        'enabled': enabled,
         'backend': 'local',
         'runtime': {'endpoint': ''},
         'local': {
@@ -1225,6 +1227,65 @@ class TestBoxHostMountModeNone:
             )
 
 
+class TestBoxDisabledByConfig:
+    """``box.enabled = false`` must keep the BoxService usable as a status
+    surface but skip every connection attempt and report unavailable."""
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_initialize_skips_connector_when_disabled(self):
+        logger = Mock()
+        app = make_app(logger, enabled=False)
+        client = Mock(spec=BoxRuntimeClient)
+        client.initialize = AsyncMock()
+        service = BoxService(app, client=client)
+
+        await service.initialize()
+
+        # The client must not be touched; we did not even open a connection.
+        client.initialize.assert_not_awaited()
+        assert service.enabled is False
+        assert service.available is False
+        # The reason is captured so the dashboard / UI can show it.
+        assert 'disabled' in service._connector_error.lower()
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_get_status_reports_disabled(self):
+        logger = Mock()
+        service = BoxService(make_app(logger, enabled=False), client=Mock(spec=BoxRuntimeClient))
+        await service.initialize()
+
+        status = await service.get_status()
+
+        assert status['available'] is False
+        assert status['enabled'] is False
+        assert 'disabled' in status['connector_error'].lower()
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_get_status_distinguishes_enabled_but_unavailable(self):
+        logger = Mock()
+        client = Mock(spec=BoxRuntimeClient)
+        client.initialize = AsyncMock(side_effect=RuntimeError('docker daemon not running'))
+        service = BoxService(make_app(logger, enabled=True), client=client)
+
+        await service.initialize()
+
+        status = await service.get_status()
+        assert status['available'] is False
+        assert status['enabled'] is True
+        assert 'docker daemon' in status['connector_error']
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_disconnect_callback_is_no_op_when_disabled(self):
+        logger = Mock()
+        service = BoxService(make_app(logger, enabled=False), client=Mock(spec=BoxRuntimeClient))
+
+        # Should be safe to fire; must not flip reconnect state on a disabled
+        # service. If it tried to schedule a reconnect, the test would hang.
+        await service._on_runtime_disconnect(connector=Mock())
+
+        assert service._reconnecting is False
+
+
 class TestBuildSkillExtraMounts:
     """Robustness of skill mount construction against a stale skill cache.
 

tests/unit_tests/provider/test_mcp_box_integration.py

@@ -561,7 +561,12 @@ class TestGetRuntimeInfoDict:
         assert info['box_session_id'] == 'mcp-shared'
         assert info['box_enabled'] is True
 
-    def test_stdio_session_waits_for_unavailable_box_runtime(self, mcp_module):
+    def test_stdio_session_refuses_when_box_unavailable(self, mcp_module):
+        """Policy: when Box is configured but unavailable (disabled in config
+        OR connection failed), stdio MCP servers are NOT treated as box-stdio.
+        ``_init_stdio_python_server`` will raise a clear refusal at start
+        time; until then, the runtime info simply omits box_session_id so the
+        UI can render the disabled state cleanly."""
         ap = _make_ap()
         ap.box_service.available = False
         s = _make_session(
@@ -576,8 +581,8 @@ class TestGetRuntimeInfoDict:
             ap=ap,
         )
         info = s.get_runtime_info_dict()
-        assert info['box_session_id'] == 'mcp-shared'
-        assert info['box_enabled'] is True
+        assert 'box_session_id' not in info
+        assert 'box_enabled' not in info
 
     def test_stdio_session_without_box_service_uses_local_stdio(self, mcp_module):
         ap = _make_ap()

tests/unit_tests/test_skill_service.py

@@ -72,6 +72,90 @@ def test_scan_directory_errors_when_skill_is_deeper_than_two_levels(skill_servic
         skill_service.scan_directory(str(tmp_path))
 
 
+class TestRequireBoxForWrite:
+    """Writes must refuse when ``ap.box_service`` is installed but unavailable
+    (disabled in config OR connection failed). Legacy setups without
+    ``ap.box_service`` continue to use the local fallback."""
+
+    def _ap_with_disabled_box(self):
+        return SimpleNamespace(
+            skill_mgr=SimpleNamespace(reload_skills=AsyncMock()),
+            box_service=SimpleNamespace(
+                available=False,
+                enabled=False,
+                _connector_error='Box runtime is disabled in config (box.enabled = false)',
+            ),
+        )
+
+    def _ap_with_failed_box(self):
+        return SimpleNamespace(
+            skill_mgr=SimpleNamespace(reload_skills=AsyncMock()),
+            box_service=SimpleNamespace(
+                available=False,
+                enabled=True,
+                _connector_error='docker daemon not running',
+            ),
+        )
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_create_skill_refused_when_box_disabled(self):
+        service = SkillService(self._ap_with_disabled_box())
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='disabled in config'):
+            await service.create_skill({'name': 'x'})
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_create_skill_refused_when_box_failed(self):
+        service = SkillService(self._ap_with_failed_box())
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='docker daemon not running'):
+            await service.create_skill({'name': 'x'})
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_update_skill_refused_when_box_disabled(self):
+        service = SkillService(self._ap_with_disabled_box())
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Editing a skill requires the Box runtime'):
+            await service.update_skill('x', {})
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_write_skill_file_refused_when_box_disabled(self):
+        service = SkillService(self._ap_with_disabled_box())
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Editing skill files requires the Box runtime'):
+            await service.write_skill_file('x', 'a.txt', 'hi')
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_install_from_github_refused_when_box_disabled(self):
+        service = SkillService(self._ap_with_disabled_box())
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Installing a skill from GitHub'):
+            await service.install_from_github({'owner': 'o', 'repo': 'r', 'asset_url': 'https://example/x.zip'})
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_install_from_zip_upload_refused_when_box_disabled(self):
+        service = SkillService(self._ap_with_disabled_box())
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Installing a skill from upload'):
+            await service.install_from_zip_upload(file_bytes=b'', filename='x.zip')
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_legacy_setup_without_box_service_still_allows_local_create(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Setups that never installed ap.box_service (pre-Box dev mode) keep
+        using the local-skills fallback path — that's the whole point of the
+        ``getattr`` distinguisher in _require_box_for_write."""
+        monkeypatch.setenv('LANGBOT_DATA_ROOT', str(tmp_path / 'data'))
+        service = SkillService(SimpleNamespace(skill_mgr=SimpleNamespace(reload_skills=AsyncMock())))
+        service.get_skill_by_name = AsyncMock(return_value=None)
+        service.get_skill = AsyncMock(
+            return_value={
+                'name': 'local-skill',
+                'package_root': str(tmp_path / 'data' / 'skills' / 'local-skill'),
+                'description': '',
+                'instructions': '',
+            }
+        )
+
+        # Does not raise — gate is a no-op without ap.box_service.
+        await service.create_skill(
+            {'name': 'local-skill', 'display_name': 'Local', 'description': '', 'instructions': 'hi'}
+        )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_create_skill_import_preserves_existing_skill_content_when_form_fields_blank(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     source_dir = tmp_path / 'external-skills' / 'manual-skill'