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

# Built-in Alpine Linux Runtime for Command Execution

> Aether includes a managed Alpine Linux VM powered by proot. Run shell commands, install packages, and execute scripts directly from the agent.

Aether ships with a bundled Alpine Linux arm64 rootfs that runs inside [proot](https://proot-me.github.io/), giving the AI agent a complete Linux command environment without requiring root access on your Android device. This is the execution backbone behind Agent Mode's shell capabilities.

## How It Works

**proot** provides chroot-like filesystem isolation by intercepting system calls at the user level — no root, no kernel modifications. The Alpine rootfs is bundled directly in the Aether app assets and is automatically extracted on first use.

Once initialized, the agent can run any Alpine-compatible command inside this environment:

```bash theme={null}
apk add python3     # install packages
python3 script.py   # run code
node index.js       # JavaScript runtime
git clone <repo>    # version control
curl https://...    # HTTP requests
```

The proot environment is fully self-contained. Anything you install or modify stays within the Alpine rootfs and does not affect the rest of your Android system.

## First-Time Setup

On the **first message you send with Agent Mode enabled**, Aether silently extracts and initializes the Alpine environment in the background. You will see a brief setup indicator during this process. Initialization typically takes **30–60 seconds** depending on your device — subsequent sessions start instantly from the already-extracted rootfs.

## What's Included

Aether provisions a standard **Alpine Linux arm64 base system**. Out of the box you get the Alpine shell (`ash`), core utilities (`busybox`), and the `apk` package manager. From there you can install anything in the Alpine package registry:

```bash theme={null}
apk add python3 py3-pip nodejs npm git curl wget ffmpeg
```

Packages install into the Alpine rootfs and persist across Aether sessions.

## Using Shell Tools

When the agent executes shell commands in Agent Mode, they run **inside the Alpine environment**. Keep this in mind when interpreting file paths:

| Path inside Alpine | What it refers to                                 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `/home`            | Alpine's home directory (inside the rootfs)       |
| `/tmp`             | Alpine's temp directory                           |
| `/sdcard`          | Your Android shared storage (if exposed by proot) |
| `/`                | Root of the Alpine rootfs, not your Android `/`   |

## Accessing Android Storage

The agent can reach your Android shared storage via the `/sdcard` path inside Alpine, provided proot exposes the mount. This lets the agent read files from your Downloads folder, process media, or write results back to a location accessible from other Android apps.

## Persisting Data

The Alpine rootfs lives in Aether's **private app storage** and persists across sessions. Files you (or the agent) create in `~` inside Alpine remain available the next time you open Aether. Think of it as a persistent Linux home directory tied to your Aether install.

<Note>
  Alpine runs on **arm64-v8a** only. This is the reason Aether requires an arm64 (64-bit ARM) Android device — the bundled rootfs binary is compiled for that architecture.
</Note>

<Tip>
  Install Python, Node.js, or other runtimes with a single command — for example, `apk add python3 nodejs` — by asking the agent to run it. Once installed, those runtimes are available in every future session without reinstalling.
</Tip>