Smooth Sandbox

FAQ

Do I need a PluginPeer or Smooth Bundle account?

Launching does not require connecting an account. PluginPeer manages account requirements for recording and saving. There is no Smooth Bundle account integration.

What data does a Snapshot include?

Snapshots include database tables, options, transients, metadata, comments, content and custom plugin tables. Draft, pending, private, scheduled and password-protected content requires opt-in. Media includes images, SVG, PDF, audio and video, including unattached items and available variants.

No source users are copied by default. Selected accounts retain their profiles, roles and metadata and receive new sandbox-only passwords. Source password hashes, account sessions and application passwords are excluded. Playground creates its own administrator account.

Detected keys and tokens are excluded unless individually selected in Credentials. Selected values are real credentials. Detection may miss secrets; unknown plugin data and content are retained. Review the data before launching: this is not automatic anonymization.

Trash, auto-drafts, their core relationships, temporary execution locks, WooCommerce sessions and this plugin’s recording data are excluded. Your own must-use plugins are copied. When the source is a Playground environment, known PluginPeer runtime files are skipped so the destination can create its own. Server drop-ins and server configuration are excluded. Cron jobs are retained with stale execution state cleared.

Where is my data stored, and what should I review?

Snapshot files and settings are private per administrator and stored outside the public website root. Transfers require an authenticated administrator. Failed updates preserve the last completed Snapshot. Source-site or setting changes require regeneration.

Hosts may clear system-temp storage. For persistence, define SMOOTH_SANDBOX_SNAPSHOT_DIR as a private absolute directory outside the website and wp-content. Allow space for exports and old revisions, retained for at least one hour and pruned after successful builds.

Delete Snapshot removes the administrator’s stored revisions; saved user and credential selections remain. Deactivation and uninstall preserve settings, Snapshots and recording records. Remove Snapshots and recording references before uninstalling if they are no longer needed; retained private settings and legacy recording data require manual cleanup by the site administrator.

After Boot up sandbox, selected data is transferred to PluginPeer’s browser runtime, which can read it. Closing or reloading loses the temporary copy unless explicitly saved or exported. PluginPeer controls recording storage and visibility.

Imported plugins can contact external services through the Playground network transport, and scheduled jobs can run while the sandbox is open. Real credentials can therefore authorize real external actions. Outgoing WordPress mail and automatic core/package updates are disabled by the current runner. Only import code and data you trust; browser execution is not a security boundary against hostile imported plugins.

How do recordings work?

Record sessions using PluginPeer’s recording controls. Keep the source WordPress tab open to receive saved recording links. Removing a reference from WordPress does not delete the recording at PluginPeer. Up to 500 references are kept per administrator.

Legacy recordings remain in private database tables. Hourly cleanup removes uploads unfinished for 24 hours and expired callback tokens. Deleting a WordPress user removes their recording records on this site.

Do sandbox changes update my live site?

Changes made inside the sandbox do not automatically update your source WordPress site. Use the sandbox to test an idea, then apply the changes you want to keep on your live site separately. Imported plugins can still contact external services; review credentials and integrations before testing.

Is this a backup or a complete staging server?

No. This is a temporary SQLite environment. MySQL-specific features, external caches, server configuration and third-party plugins may behave differently or be unsupported. Do not use it as your only backup.

Which limits apply?

This plugin’s Snapshot/export limits are 1,000 tables, 5,000 media attachments, 15,000 files and 256 MiB uncompressed, with 20 MiB per file and a 16 MiB manifest. These limits are enforced locally and are independent of Smooth Bundle plans. Server and browser resources also affect startup.

PluginPeer applies separate limits to recording, uploads and saved environments. Smooth Bundle also enforces its current storage and delivery limits. Increasing a Smooth Bundle quota does not raise this plugin’s import limits. Check the limits shown in PluginPeer and the current Smooth Bundle plans for the relevant service.