Sandbox

In computer software, the sandbox is the informal name given to the limited execution environment in which untrusted programs are run. The boundaries of this notional box limit the scope of a malicious program to cause damage to the computer system as a whole. In the Java system, for example, most applets are run in a software sandbox. It is named after the sand-covered area in a children's playground where the children can play with minimal risk of injury from falling.

Similarly, in software development the term sandbox is used to refer to a test system which replicates (often in reduced size or capacity) the actual computing environment for which software is being developed. The presense of such a safe, controlled environment allows developers to try experimental code without fear of damaging a mission-critical system.

In Military training a sandbox is a box of sand used in conjunction with military models to model terrain and demonstrate tactics.