Support Scope
This page is the canonical public support matrix for the Sero public beta desktop release. If another page is broader, more aspirational, or less specific, this page wins.
Supported beta baseline
| Surface | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Release status | Public beta | Packaged desktop installers are available for supported beta targets. |
| Packaged desktop targets | Supported | macOS Apple Silicon, Linux x64/arm64, and Windows x64 |
| Installer artifacts | Supported where published | macOS DMG, Linux DEB, and Windows setup EXE; see GitHub Releases for exact current filenames. |
| Source builds | Supported for developers | Developers and contributors can still build from source on supported targets. |
| Current maintainer-validated baseline | Validated | macOS 26.3, arm64, Node 22.22.0, pnpm 10.11.0 |
| Default workspace runtime | Supported / recommended | Host is the default on supported Host platforms. |
| Container runtimes | Supported explicit choices | Apple Container on macOS arm64; Docker / Podman on macOS arm64, Linux, and Windows. |
| Browser automation | Supported where ready | Host requires an available browser pack and a passing Environment Doctor launch check; container runtimes use the runtime image. |
| Unsupported platforms | Not supported | macOS Intel/x64 and Windows arm64 |
| Auto-update | Not promised | Download new beta releases manually unless release notes say otherwise. |
| Stable internal plugin/runtime APIs | Not promised | Contracts may still evolve during beta. |
| Support channel | Best effort | GitHub Issues and Pull Requests; there is no response SLA. |
Runtime support matrix
This table is the public runtime support contract for the current beta.
| Runtime | macOS arm64 | Linux x64/arm64 | Windows x64 | Not supported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Host (host) |
Default; browser automation needs a Doctor-ready browser pack | Default; browser automation needs a Doctor-ready browser pack | Default; browser automation needs a Doctor-ready browser pack | macOS Intel; Windows arm64 |
Apple Container (apple-container) |
Supported explicit container choice | Not available | Not available | All non-macOS-arm64 targets |
Docker / Podman (docker) |
Supported explicit container choice | Supported explicit container choice | Supported explicit container choice | Requires a working Docker or Podman engine |
If you are unsure which runtime to choose, use the default Host runtime. Select Apple Container or Docker / Podman explicitly when you want container-provided tools, isolation, Linux/container parity, or container networking behavior.
Desktop distribution
Most beta users should download the packaged desktop artifact for their platform from GitHub Releases:
- macOS Apple Silicon: DMG installer
- Linux x64/arm64: Debian package (
.deb) - Windows x64: setup EXE installer
GitHub Releases is the source of truth for exact current artifact names. Public docs intentionally avoid hardcoding versioned filenames.
Developers and contributors can still build from source on supported targets. Source builds require the repository development toolchain and are not the simpler path for most beta users.
New beta releases may require manual download and installation unless release notes say otherwise. macOS Gatekeeper/notarization warnings and Windows SmartScreen or unknown-publisher warnings may apply during beta.
Host runtime
Host runs commands directly in the real workspace folder on your computer. It uses normal localhost URLs and compatible system tools. It does not provide container isolation, container-provided toolchains, or Linux/container networking semantics.
Host is the default runtime on:
| Platform | Architecture | Host status | Browser pack status |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS | arm64 | Supported and default | Available when Environment Doctor passes launch checks |
| Linux | x64 | Supported and default | Available when Environment Doctor passes launch checks |
| Linux | arm64 | Supported and default | Available when Environment Doctor passes launch checks |
| Windows | x64 | Supported and default | Available when Environment Doctor passes launch checks |
Host browser automation has two requirements:
- A browser pack artifact must be available for the platform.
- Environment Doctor must verify that Sero can install and launch it.
Host browser packs are available for the release-supported targets: macOS arm64, Linux x64, Linux arm64, and Windows x64. Windows arm64 has no available public pack today.
Container runtimes
Container runtimes are explicit per-workspace choices, not the normal default path on supported Host platforms.
Apple Container is available on Apple Silicon Macs through Apple's container CLI. Docker / Podman is the cross-platform container option on macOS arm64, Linux, and Windows. Both container runtimes use Sero-managed Linux image contents for container-provided tools and browser automation.
Existing containers do not automatically receive Dockerfile or base-tooling changes. Recreate affected workspace containers after Sero changes container images or installed tools.
Unsupported targets and beta limits
The public beta does not currently promise:
- macOS on Intel CPUs
- Windows arm64 support
- identical runtime capabilities on every OS
- full feature parity between Host and container runtimes
- frozen internal plugin/runtime contracts
- a hardened multi-tenant security boundary
- automatic updates for every beta release
- a public support response SLA
Issue-reporting guidance
When filing a bug, include which support surface you were using:
- operating system and version
- CPU architecture
- install path: packaged beta artifact or source build
- source build details when relevant: branch, tag, or commit SHA; Node / pnpm versions
- runtime mode: Host (
host), Apple Container (apple-container), or Docker / Podman (docker) - whether Environment Doctor passed, warned, or failed
- whether browser automation was using Host browser packs or a container runtime
- whether the issue happened in an official beta artifact, a source build, or a local experimental build
Beta support / triage plan
Use the public support surfaces like this:
- Bug report — regressions, broken supported workflows, or behavior that no longer matches the documented beta support scope
- Support question — setup help, troubleshooting, confusing docs, or uncertainty about runtime/configuration
- Pull request — small fixes, docs improvements, or targeted corrections when you already know the change
- Private security reporting — anything security-sensitive; follow
SECURITY.mdinstead of filing publicly
What maintainers will triage first during beta:
- issues on the maintainer-validated baseline (
macOSon Apple Silicon) - install / launch / data-loss / security-sensitive regressions
- documented Host and container runtime problems on supported targets
- docs gaps that block setup or truthful usage of the beta
What reporters should expect:
- best-effort handling during beta — there is no response SLA yet
- maintainers may ask for a minimal repro, install path or artifact type, commit SHA when relevant, runtime mode, Doctor result, and redacted logs before acting
- unsupported platform/runtime combinations, heavily modified local builds, and third-party plugin issues may be redirected or closed as out of scope
- issues without enough detail to reproduce may be closed until more information is available
A good first signal for triage is:
- the exact command or workflow that failed
- whether you were using Host, Apple Container, or Docker / Podman
- the packaged artifact type, release tag, branch, or commit you tested
- the smallest redacted log excerpt that shows the failure