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Deckyard

Sandbox Mode

Create isolated demo environments for visitors to explore Deckyard.

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

Sandbox mode provides per-visitor isolated sessions, perfect for demos and trials. Each visitor gets their own environment to experiment with without affecting other users.

How It Works

Section titled “How It Works”

When sandbox mode is enabled:

  1. Per-visitor isolation - Each visitor gets their own isolated workspace
  2. Auto-provisioned access - Guest sessions are created automatically via cookies
  3. Sandbox watermarking - Presentations display a sandbox indicator
  4. Automatic cleanup - Sandbox data is periodically cleaned up

Session Creation

Section titled “Session Creation”

When a new visitor arrives:

  1. System generates a unique sandbox session ID
  2. Session is stored in a cookie
  3. Visitor can create and edit presentations
  4. All data is scoped to their session

Data Isolation

Section titled “Data Isolation”

Each sandbox session has:

  • Its own set of presentations
  • Isolated image library
  • Separate settings
  • No visibility into other sessions

Configuration

Section titled “Configuration”

Enable sandbox mode via environment variable:

Terminal window
SANDBOX_MODE=true

Additional Options

Section titled “Additional Options”
VariableDefaultDescription
SANDBOX_MODEfalseEnable sandbox mode
SANDBOX_CLEANUP_HOURS24Hours before sandbox data cleanup
SANDBOX_MAX_PRESENTATIONS5Max presentations per sandbox

Combined with Demo Mode

Section titled “Combined with Demo Mode”

Sandbox mode works well with demo mode for public demonstrations:

Terminal window
SANDBOX_MODE=true
DEMO_MODE=true

This creates a fully isolated demo environment with restricted features.

Use Cases

Section titled “Use Cases”

Public Demos

Section titled “Public Demos”

Perfect for:

  • Product demonstrations
  • Marketing websites with “Try it now” functionality
  • Self-service product exploration

Product Trials

Section titled “Product Trials”

Enable potential customers to:

  • Explore all features without commitment
  • Create test presentations
  • Experience the editor interface

Trade Show Presentations

Section titled “Trade Show Presentations”

At events:

  • Each booth visitor gets their own sandbox
  • No data carries over between visitors
  • Clean environment for each demonstration

Training Environments

Section titled “Training Environments”

For workshops and training:

  • Each participant has their own workspace
  • No interference between participants
  • Easy cleanup after sessions

Watermarking

Section titled “Watermarking”

In sandbox mode, presentations display a visual indicator:

  • “Sandbox” badge in the editor
  • Watermark on exported presentations
  • Clear indication this is a trial environment

Limitations

Section titled “Limitations”

Sandbox mode has intentional limitations:

Disabled Features

Section titled “Disabled Features”
  • User authentication (guests only)
  • Email notifications
  • Collaboration features
  • Publishing to public URLs
  • API access

Storage Limits

Section titled “Storage Limits”
  • Limited number of presentations
  • Reduced image library capacity
  • No permanent data storage

Session Expiration

Section titled “Session Expiration”
  • Sessions expire after configurable period
  • Data is automatically cleaned up
  • No recovery of expired sandbox data

Implementation Details

Section titled “Implementation Details”
Section titled “Cookie-Based Sessions”

Sandbox sessions use cookies:

  • Cookie name: sb_sandbox_session
  • Contains unique session identifier
  • HttpOnly for security
  • Expires with cleanup period

Data Storage

Section titled “Data Storage”

Sandbox data is stored:

  • In a separate namespace
  • With session ID prefix
  • Subject to automatic cleanup

Cleanup Process

Section titled “Cleanup Process”

Automatic cleanup runs periodically:

  1. Identifies sessions older than threshold
  2. Removes associated presentations
  3. Cleans up images and uploads
  4. Logs cleanup statistics

Monitoring

Section titled “Monitoring”

Sandbox Metrics

Section titled “Sandbox Metrics”

Monitor sandbox usage:

  • Active sandbox sessions
  • Presentations created
  • Session duration
  • Cleanup statistics

Server Logs

Section titled “Server Logs”

Sandbox events are logged:

[sandbox] New session created: sb_abc123
[sandbox] Cleanup: removed 15 expired sessions

Security Considerations

Section titled “Security Considerations”

Isolation

Section titled “Isolation”
  • Each sandbox is completely isolated
  • No cross-sandbox data access
  • Guest users cannot access authenticated areas

Resource Protection

Section titled “Resource Protection”
  • Rate limiting applies to sandbox users
  • Storage quotas prevent abuse
  • CPU/memory limits on exports

No Persistence

Section titled “No Persistence”
  • Make clear to users that data is temporary
  • Display expiration warnings
  • No expectation of data preservation
Section titled “Related”