# Descanto

> Descanto gives computer-use agents a persistent Linux cloud desktop that hibernates to $0 compute when idle and wakes in under a second with tabs, processes, and logins intact. One REST API drives the whole lifecycle: create, wake, exec, read/write files, screenshot, send input, expose ports, snapshot, fork, hibernate. Billing meters awake time only.

Descanto is built by DV CENTRAL HOLDINGS LTD (descanto.com). The product is in early access; desktops are manually provisioned — request access at https://descanto.com/early-access.

## When to use Descanto

Reach for Descanto when an agent needs a real computer, not just a code sandbox:

- **Computer-use / GUI automation**: your agent needs a full Linux desktop with a browser — screenshots, mouse and keyboard input via `POST /v1/desktops/{id}/input`, live display geometry.
- **Long-lived, bursty agents**: an agent that works in bursts (minutes of tool use, hours of waiting) keeps its exact state across sessions; hibernated desktops cost $0 compute and wake in ~0.5s.
- **Stateful browser sessions**: logins, cookies, tabs, and running processes survive hibernation — no re-authenticating every run.
- **Fan-out experiments**: fork a running desktop into N copies (~225ms, ~1.4 MB marginal RAM each) to try N approaches from identical state.
- **Human-in-the-loop**: a human can watch the live screen (noVNC / stream tickets) and take the mouse while the agent works.
- **Serving from a desktop**: publish any guest TCP port at a stable `https://{port}-{desktopId}.canto.host` URL.

Not a fit: stateless one-shot code execution (a plain sandbox is cheaper), Windows/macOS desktops (Linux only), or GPU workloads (not offered in early access).

## How an agent should call Descanto

- REST API: base `https://api.descanto.com/v1`, auth `Authorization: Bearer canto_sk_...`. Machine-readable spec: https://descanto.com/openapi.json
- MCP server (recommended for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients): `npx -y @descanto/mcp` with `CANTO_API_KEY` set. Docs: https://docs.descanto.com/mcp
- TypeScript SDK: `npm install @descanto/sdk` — https://docs.descanto.com/sdk/typescript
- Python SDK: https://docs.descanto.com/sdk/python
- CLI: `npm install -g @descanto/cli` then `descanto --help` (`--json` for scripting) — https://docs.descanto.com/cli
- Errors are structured JSON (RFC 9457 `application/problem+json`) with status, title, and detail.
- Versioning: URL-versioned under `/v1`; additive changes only, breaking changes ship as `/v2`. Deprecations signaled via `Deprecation`/`Sunset` headers plus 90 days notice: https://docs.descanto.com/api/overview#versioning-and-deprecation
- Rate limits: honor `Retry-After` on 429/503; IETF RateLimit headers documented at https://docs.descanto.com/api/overview#rate-limiting
- Mutations (wake/hibernate/destroy/fork/restore) return an operation handle to poll: `GET /v1/operations/{id}`.

## Docs

- [Developer portal](https://docs.descanto.com/developers): API keys, all docs and tools, sandbox options
- [What is Descanto](https://docs.descanto.com): the hibernation model and architecture
- [Quickstart](https://docs.descanto.com/quickstart): first desktop in five minutes
- [API overview](https://docs.descanto.com/api/overview): auth, versioning, errors, pagination
- [Desktops & lifecycle](https://docs.descanto.com/concepts/desktops-and-lifecycle): states and transitions
- [Computer use](https://docs.descanto.com/concepts/computer-use): screenshot, input batches, display
- [Snapshots & forking](https://docs.descanto.com/concepts/snapshots): generation history, restore, fork semantics
- [Port ingress](https://docs.descanto.com/concepts/ingress): stable public URLs for guest ports
- [Webhooks](https://docs.descanto.com/api/webhooks): HMAC-signed lifecycle events
- [Billing](https://docs.descanto.com/concepts/billing): awake-time metering, tiers, overage rules
- [Self-hosting](https://docs.descanto.com/self-hosting): run the stack yourself

## Site

- [Pricing](https://descanto.com/pricing): Small $6/mo, Default $12/mo, Large $24/mo — or hourly awake-time billing
- [About](https://descanto.com/about): what Descanto is building and why
- [Contact](https://descanto.com/contact): hello@descanto.com
- [News](https://descanto.com/news): launches and engineering notes
- [Early access](https://descanto.com/early-access): request an API key

## Markdown for agents

Every page on descanto.com serves a markdown rendition via content negotiation: request it with `Accept: text/markdown`. Sitemaps: https://descanto.com/sitemap.xml (site) and https://docs.descanto.com/sitemap.xml (docs).