Execute Code Fallback Pattern

When

execute_code_sandbox

run_shell

When to Apply

Use this pattern when you observe:

• execute_code_sandbox

  returns errors mentioning "e2b", "sandbox unavailable", or connection timeouts
• Repeated sandbox execution failures (2+ attempts)
• Error messages indicating the code execution environment is unreachable

Fallback Procedure

Step 1: Detect the Failure

Identify that

execute_code_sandbox

• "e2b service unavailable"
• "Sandbox connection failed"
• "Execution environment not reachable"
• Timeout errors during code execution

Step 2: Switch to run_shell with Embedded Python

Instead of:

execute_code_sandbox(code="...")

Use:

run_shell(command="python3 -c '...your Python code...'")

Step 3: Install Dependencies First (If Needed)

If your Python code requires external packages, install them first:

run_shell(command="pip install pandas requests matplotlib")

Then execute your main code:

run_shell(command="python3 << 'EOF'
import pandas as pd
import requests

# Your code here
print("Success")
EOF
")

Step 4: Use Heredoc for Multi-line Code

For complex Python scripts, use heredoc syntax for cleaner code:

run_shell(command="python3 << 'PYTHON_SCRIPT'
import json
import os

# Complex logic here
data = {'key': 'value'}
with open('output.json', 'w') as f:
    json.dump(data, f)

print('File created successfully')
PYTHON_SCRIPT
")

Complete Example

Scenario: You need to process a CSV file and generate a report.

Original approach (sandbox):

execute_code_sandbox(code="""
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv('data.csv')
summary = df.describe()
print(summary)
""")

Fallback approach (run_shell):

# First install dependencies if needed
run_shell(command="pip install pandas --quiet")

# Then execute the code
run_shell(command="python3 << 'EOF'
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv('data.csv')
summary = df.describe()
print(summary)
EOF
")

Important Considerations

1. State Persistence: Unlike

   execute_code_sandbox

   ,

   run_shell

   executions may not share state between calls. Save intermediate results to files if needed.

2. Working Directory: Ensure you're operating in the correct directory. Use

   pwd

   to verify or include

   cd /path/to/workdir

   in your commands.

3. Python Version: Use

   python3

   explicitly to avoid ambiguity. Verify with

   python3 --version

   if needed.

4. Error Handling: Check the stdout/stderr from

   run_shell

   to confirm success. Failed Python scripts will return non-zero exit codes.

5. Security: Be cautious when embedding user-provided data into shell commands. Escape appropriately or use file-based input.

6. Performance: For large computations,

   run_shell

   may be slower than sandbox. Consider breaking into smaller steps if timeouts occur.

Quick Reference

execute_code_sandbox(code="print(2+2)")

run_shell(command="python3 -c 'print(2+2)'")

execute_code_sandbox(code="import pkg; ...")

run_shell(command="pip install pkg && python3 -c '...'")

execute_code_sandbox(code="...")

run_shell(command="python3 << 'EOF'...EOF")

execute_code_sandbox(code="...")

run_shell(command="python3 << 'EOF'...EOF")

Recovery Checklist

• Confirm

  execute_code_sandbox

  failure (not a code bug)
• Switch to

  run_shell

  immediately
• Install required packages with

  pip install

• Use heredoc for multi-line Python
• Verify output and handle errors
• Save intermediate results to files if multi-step