Accounts & Tiers

The Capability Matrix

Python Online allocates system resources through Capability Tiers. We divide our infrastructure into two distinct operational models:

• Ephemeral Execution (for Guests and Free users).
• Persistent Workstations (for Pro users).

This ensures that heavy background processes don't slow down the platform for students learning to code, and vice versa.

1. The Guest Sandbox (Unauthenticated)

Designed for absolute zero-friction entry, the Guest tier allows anyone to start writing and running Python code instantly without handing over an email address.

• Storage: Files are stored entirely in your browser's local memory, meaning they are inherently temporary. To secure your data to our cloud, please Sign In.
• Execution Limits: Guest scripts and REPL sessions are given a hard 60-second execution window. Code runs in a disposable, stateless container that is instantly destroyed upon completion or timeout.
• Restrictions: No Internet access, no web hosting, no scheduled tasks, and no direct terminal access.

2. The Free Account

Creating a free account unlocks cloud persistence and essential deployment capabilities. It utilizes the same Ephemeral Execution engine as Guests, but with expanded limits.

• Storage & Projects: 100 MB hard quota. You can maintain up to 3 separate projects.
• Execution Limits: The 60-second execution wall remains in effect. Every run starts with a clean slate (fresh RAM), ensuring no data leaks between script executions.
• Network Access: Outbound network requests (e.g., using `requests`) are routed through a strict security proxy that only allows traffic to verified domains whitelist.
• Web Hosting: You are granted 1 Active Web Application. Free tier hosting utilizes an "auto-hibernation" lifecycle. If your site receives no traffic, the server sleeps to save resources. The next visitor will see a brief wake-up screen before the app loads.
• Automation: You can schedule 1 Automated Task to run daily. The task is strictly headless and given a 60-second execution window.

3. The Pro Workstation

With the Pro tier, the platform operates in an entirely different way. Instead of disposing of containers after 60 seconds, Pro users are granted dedicated, permanent Cloud Workstations on our distributed compute mesh.

• Storage & Projects: 1 GB (1024 MB) federated storage quota and Unlimited Projects.
• Continuous Persistence: Pro workstations never time out. You can start a massive data scraping script, close your laptop, and return tomorrow to find it still running. Variables, background threads, and processes remain in memory indefinitely.
• Elastic Resource Pool: Pro accounts are allocated a global pool of 1.0 vCPU and 2GB RAM. The system automatically balances these resources between your IDE, your Always-On web app, and any running scheduled tasks.
• Direct Terminal Access: Unlock the built-in Bash Terminal to interact directly with the underlying Linux OS. Use Git, navigate directories, or run complex shell scripts natively.
• Unrestricted Networking: Pro containers bypass the security proxy, granting your code direct, high-speed access to the global internet—essential for connecting to remote databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB) or APIs.
• Advanced Hosting: You can host 1 Always-On app that never sleeps, plus unlimited additional apps that run in Ephemeral (hibernating) mode.
• Advanced Automation: Schedule unlimited headless tasks and unlock high-frequency Hourly execution intervals.