Local vs Confidential Cloud
Choose Open Project or Open Cloud Project in CDE — what each mode protects, when to use it, and how it relates to TDX sandboxes.
CDE offers two ways to start coding. Pick based on where your code should run and what level of runtime confidentiality you need — not based on which button looks simpler.
For install and first-time sign-in, see Quickstart. This page is the decision guide.
Open Project (local mode)
Use Open Project when you want to work on files already on your machine:
- Opens the native folder picker
- Editor, terminal, and Git run against local files
- Origin Agent still routes inference through ORGN Gateway
- No sandbox attestation — this is standard desktop development on your hardware
Local mode does not run your code inside a TDX sandbox. ORGN cannot attest the execution environment for an open folder on your laptop.
Some CDE builds restrict local folder access and require a cloud worktree. If you see a message that local folders are unavailable, use Open Cloud Project or pick a worktree from the Projects sidebar.
Open Cloud Project (confidential cloud mode)
Use Open Cloud Project when you want your repository inside a confidential sandbox:
- Opens the cloud project picker (Enter Confidential Workspace from the command palette)
- Lists projects and worktrees from your ORGN team
- Provisions or attaches to a TDX sandbox over SSH — not ordinary shared cloud compute
- Code, terminal, and agent tool calls run inside the Trust Domain
- Sandbox attestation is available after attach
What is a TDX sandbox?
TDX (Intel Trust Domain Extensions) is hardware that runs your code inside an isolated virtual machine with encrypted memory. The cloud operator, hypervisor, and ORGN cannot read what is executing inside. A Trust Domain is Intel's name for that isolated VM.
This is runtime confidentiality — your source code and terminal sessions are protected at execution time. It is separate from inference confidentiality (whether Origin Agent prompts are handled under ZDR policy or TEE hardware). See Origin Agent.
What is a worktree?
A worktree is an isolated copy of your repository on its own branch, running in its own sandbox. Create one per task when you want parallel agents or experiments without branches colliding. See Cloud worktrees.
Side-by-side comparison
| Open Project | Open Cloud Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Code runs on | Your machine | TDX sandbox (remote) |
| Runtime confidentiality | None (standard desktop) | Hardware-isolated encrypted VM |
| Sandbox attestation | Not available | Yes |
| Origin Agent tool calls | Local filesystem | Remote sandbox filesystem |
| Origin Agent inference | Routes to Gateway (ZDR or TEE model) | Same — inference is a separate boundary |
| Best for | Quick local edits, offline-capable work | IP-sensitive, regulated, or verifiable compute |
How to switch modes
| Goal | Action |
|---|---|
| Open a local folder | Open Project on the welcome screen, or command palette → Open ORGN Launchpad |
| Open a cloud worktree | Open Cloud Project, or command palette → Enter Confidential Workspace |
| Browse team projects | Activity bar → Origin Studio sidebar (inner view: Projects) |
| Return from cloud to picker | CDE: Switch worktree |
| Sign out | CDE: Sign Out — returns to the welcome screen |
Cloud projects share the same id-orgn session as ORGN Studio — no separate login.
Recent workspaces
CDE remembers recently opened workspaces:
- LOCAL recents — folder paths on disk
- CLOUD recents — worktrees tied to Studio projects
If a cloud recent is no longer ready (sandbox stopped or reprovisioned), CDE prompts you to use Open Cloud Project and pick a fresh worktree.
Next steps
- Cloud worktrees — sidebar workflow, SSH attach, recovery
- Origin Agent — model tiers and runtime vs inference
- Attestation — what the TDX sandbox report proves
- Platform trust — full trust stack