Function platforms / Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function alternative

A Tencent Cloud SCF alternative for a returning Linux agent

Tencent Cloud SCF runs event and HTTP functions with managed instance reuse and external storage integrations. Ordinary execution and the distinct async execution mode have different time limits. A reusable function instance and its temporary files are not a guarantee that the same complete writable operating system returns for an agent’s next task.

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Reviewed 2026-10-19 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function fits

SCF fits event-driven and HTTP functions integrated with Tencent Cloud services, with longer jobs available through its async execution mode. Keep required triggers, IAM, external data stores and request-driven scaling.

When to consider Sandbox0

Choose Sandbox0 for compatible Linux agents that repeatedly install tools, modify system configuration and accumulate files on a complete durable writable RootFS, with automatic online growth and supported files while guest compute stays paused.

Capabilities

Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeTencent Cloud Serverless Cloud FunctionAsync execution supports up to 24 hours, with longer durations by approval; ordinary functions have a separate 1–900-second timeout. Async mode is selected at creation.View evidence ↗Sandbox0ttl and hard_ttl default to 0 (disabled). Configure idle pause and deletion policies for the same persistent sandbox identity; an idle running sandbox still accrues compute charges.Read documentation →
Persistent filesTencent Cloud Serverless Cloud FunctionCFS and COS integrations provide persistent external application data; /tmp remains temporary and instance-scoped.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSTencent Cloud Serverless Cloud FunctionSCF instance reuse is not guaranteed, and durable state is directed to external storage rather than retained arbitrary mutable runtime OS state.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Persistence extends beyond /workspace to paths such as /usr/local, /etc, and /home. Runtime tmpfs and virtual filesystems are excluded.Read documentation →
Release compute, keep stateTencent Cloud Serverless Cloud FunctionManaged warm instances and longer async functions do not establish user-controlled durable whole-machine pause/resume.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateTencent Cloud Serverless Cloud FunctionOpportunistic initialized-instance reuse does not establish durable RAM/process checkpoint restoration.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Experimental memory checkpoints can preserve compatible process state. Use memory: true on both pause and resume on a compatible deployment. A filesystem checkpoint alone does not preserve running processes.Read documentation →

Online RootFS growth

On growth-enabled images, Sandbox0 automatically expands the writable RootFS as free space runs low, within a configured sparse logical ceiling up to 64 TiB. Agent processes keep running. Growth is enabled in the qualified Cloud region; confirm activation for other regions. Existing images and snapshots retain their captured storage geometry. The ceiling is logical capacity, not preallocated host disk.

SCF’s temporary-storage allowance can be configured up to the documented memory-dependent limit, while COS/CFS scale separately. This is not automatic online growth of the complete durable writable agent RootFS.

Files while compute is paused

Sandbox0's Files API reads persistent files without resuming compute. Filesystem-only pauses also permit edits; retained-memory pauses are read-only and reject mutations with 409. SSH, SFTP, file watching, and runtime-only mounts require running compute.

COS and CFS retain application data independently of a function invocation and can be accessed through their own services. They do not expose every paused function root path as one retained filesystem. Sandbox0 supports its durable paused RootFS with filesystem-only mutations and retained-memory reads.

See paused file operations →

Async execution can run substantially longer than ordinary functions

The regular configuration guide lists a 1–900 second execution timeout. The distinct async execution mode supports up to 24 hours, with longer durations subject to provider approval. It is chosen when creating a function and cannot be toggled afterward; the guide also specifies different failure and retry behavior. Do not apply a blanket fifteen-minute limit to every SCF workload.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Temporary cache reuse is useful but not durable agent state

SCF may reuse an instance and keep initialized objects and /tmp cache while it remains alive, but reuse is not guaranteed and idle instances can be reclaimed. The storage guide distinguishes persistent COS/CFS from temporary storage and read-only dependency layers. It lists 512 MB free temporary space with configurable larger allowances up to 10 GB according to function memory, with higher quotas by approval.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Memory-time, requests and warm capacity use separate meters

The international pricing page lists event and HTTP resource usage in GB-seconds, invocation fees per ten thousand and a separate idle provisioned-concurrency rate. Regional outbound and HTTP response traffic also cost extra. Persistent CFS/COS and logging are separate services, so a function invocation price is not a complete agent-environment budget.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Pricing

Compare billing models, then price your workload

CPU allocation, memory, billing minimums, disk, plan fees, and supported workload differ. These meters are not equal-performance machine quotes. Confirm region, resource units, and included allowances before estimating a total.

Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

International event/HTTP resource usage
$0.0000167 per GB-second
Preserves the vendor’s GB-second unit; not a full VM or equal-performance quote.
Rate source ↗
International event/HTTP invocations
$0.002 per 10,000 invocations
Rate source ↗
International idle provisioned concurrency
$0.00000847 per GB-second
Rate source ↗
Virginia / Silicon Valley / Bangkok outbound reference
$0.0752 per GB
Other listed regions differ; HTTP response outbound traffic is also chargeable.
Rate source ↗

These are international USD standard resource-pricing rows, separate from China-site CNY tariffs, subscription packages and the distinct near-offline resource mode. Include configured warm capacity, temporary-storage allowances/overages, regional traffic, CFS/COS and logging where applicable. No currency conversion or all-region flat price is assumed.

Check current Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function pricing ↗

Sandbox0

$0.015/GiB-hour compute (billed by the second at approximately $0.000004167/GiB-second), plus $0.02/GiB-month of retained incremental RootFS and memory checkpoint data. Shared base images and platform recovery retention are excluded; paused sandboxes accrue storage charges only.

Compute / GiB-hour
$0.015
Retained data / GiB-month
$0.02
Paused compute
$0.00

A 4 GiB agent, 100 running hours

$6.00 compute

4 GiB × 100 hours, billed by the second. Keeping 20 GiB of billable incremental data for a full billing month adds $0.40. CPU is derived from memory by the platform; choose a tier that fits your workload.

Understand storage billing →

Before migrating from Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function

  1. Record event/HTTP triggers, ordinary versus async execution, warm capacity, temporary paths, layers, IAM and external storage.
  2. Export required durable data and port compatible Linux agent tooling while keeping necessary Tencent service integrations.
  3. Test whole-system retention, growth and supported paused files, and compare actual active/idle memory-time, requests and retained resources.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Tencent Cloud Serverless Cloud Function replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. These products serve different core workflows, so a change may require a different architecture.

Does keeping files also keep a running agent?

Filesystem state and volatile process state are separate. Sandbox0 requires explicit compatible memory checkpoints to preserve running processes; its default filesystem resume starts fresh processes.

Sources and review scope

The Boat team's Battleships directory is the discovery source. References below describe the product and plan discussed on this page. Check current availability, regional terms and billing units before migrating. Where the cited material does not establish a capability or price, the comparison identifies that uncertainty.

Battleships research record ↗cloud.tencent.com/document/product/583/19805/ ↗www.tencentcloud.com/document/product/583/39466 ↗cloud.tencent.com/document/product/583/9694 ↗cloud.tencent.com/document/product/583/73055 ↗www.tencentcloud.com/document/product/583/12281 ↗cloud.tencent.com/document/product/583/17299 ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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