---
title: "Root Overview"
description: "A lockfile for CLI tools, plus a local capability plane for agents on the same machine."
---
[Root](https://github.com/BoringInfraCo/Root) is a persistent local engineering environment for agents, built on a curated Nix-backed package manager. Declare intent in a `Rootfile`; Root pins exact Nix store paths in `root.lock`, snapshots before every mutation, and installs to an isolated profile. v0.7 adds a local capability plane on that machine: one `rootd`, connector packages, an approval queue, and encrypted checkpoint references over a folder you choose.

**Core loop:** Declare → Pin → Apply → Undo

## What it does

- Browse a curated catalog of 42 developer tools
- Preview changes with `root plan` before applying
- Pin exact versions in `root.lock` for reproducibility
- Verify installed binaries in an isolated profile
- Roll back any change with `root rollback --last`

## Also on the machine

- Work state and checkpoints
- Resume and handoff
- Local MCP via `rootd`
- Connectors and approvals
- Event routes that do not start an agent
- Checkpoint references over a folder relay

## Key features

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Deterministic lock | `root.lock` pins Nix store paths |
| Undo anything | Pre-mutation snapshots restore locked state |
| Verified installs | Binaries checked in Root profile, not global PATH |
| Agent bundles | Transfer Codex, OpenCode, or Claude config between machines |
| JSON output | Every command supports `--json` for agents |
| Sandboxes | Docker-based isolated task execution |
| Local MCP | `root mcp serve` shims to local `rootd`; loopback HTTP is opt-in |
| Approval queue | Write and destructive tools wait on `root approval` |
| Checkpoint references | Encrypted references over a folder relay |
| Work state | SQLite under `~/.root/work/` |

## Comparison

| Capability | Root | brew | curl \| sh | raw Nix |
|------------|------|------|------------|---------|
| Deterministic lock | Yes | No | No | Manual |
| Undo | Yes | No | No | Manual |
| Post-install verify | Yes | No | No | No |
| No Nix to learn | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |

## Tech stack

- **Language:** Rust
- **Engine:** Nix (Determinate installer offered if missing)
- **Platforms:** macOS-first; Linux best-effort
- **Storage:** `~/.root/` (Rootfile, root.lock, snapshots, profiles, event ledger, work database)
- **License:** Apache-2.0

## Resources

- [Quick Start](/docs/products/root/quick-start)
- [Use Cases](/docs/products/root/use-cases)
- [Product page](https://boringinfra.company/root)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/BoringInfraCo/Root)