--- description: Choose between the Durable Object Container API and the higher-level Container class. title: API image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/og-docs.png --- [Skip to content](#main-content) > Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.cloudflare.com/containers/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # API Last updated Aug 28, 2026|Copy as Markdown|[View as Markdown](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/index.md)|[Agent setup](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/agent-setup/) Containers provide two APIs for managing a container from a Durable Object. Both APIs address the same container runtime. For new applications, use the Durable Object Container API when you need direct lifecycle control. Use the `Container` class when you prefer built-in lifecycle helpers. ### [Durable Object Container API](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/) Start, stop, monitor, and connect to a container through `ctx.container`. ### [Container class](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/) Use a higher-level class built on Durable Objects, with routing, readiness checks, lifecycle hooks, and scheduling. ## Choose an API ### Durable Object Container API The Durable Object Container API exposes the container runtime through `ctx.container`. Choose it when you need direct control over startup, shutdown, networking, or resource usage. You can add readiness checks, custom request routing, or lifecycle policies when your application needs them. ### Container class The `Container` class builds on Durable Objects and the runtime API. Choose it when you prefer built-in request proxying, readiness checks, lifecycle hooks, and scheduling. These helpers reduce application code, but some features use Durable Object storage and alarms. The following table compares both options: | Requirement | Durable Object Container API | Container class | | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Start and stop a container | [start()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#start), [signal()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#signal), and [destroy()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#destroy) | [start()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#start), [stop()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#stop), and [destroy()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#destroy) | | Send and proxy traffic | [getTcpPort(port).fetch()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#gettcpport) and [getTcpPort(port).connect()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#gettcpport) | [fetch()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#fetch) and [containerFetch()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#containerfetch) | | Execute another process | [exec()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#exec) | [ctx.container.exec()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#execute-commands) | | Check port readiness | Use [getTcpPort()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#gettcpport) in application code | [startAndWaitForPorts()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#startandwaitforports) and [waitForPort()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#waitforport) | | Handle concurrent starts | Coordinate calls to [start()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#start) when needed | Handled by [start()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#start) and [startAndWaitForPorts()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#startandwaitforports) | | Run lifecycle hooks | [monitor()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#monitor) and application code | [onStart()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#onstart), [onStop()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#onstop), [onError()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#onerror), and [onActivityExpired()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#onactivityexpired) | | Stop inactive containers | [setInactivityTimeout()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/#setinactivitytimeout) | [sleepAfter](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#sleepafter) and [onActivityExpired()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#onactivityexpired) | | Schedule callbacks | [ctx.storage.setAlarm()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/durable-objects/api/alarms/#setalarm) (Durable Object API) | [schedule()](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/#schedule) | Use the Durable Object Container API for latency-sensitive workloads or workloads that need a smaller storage footprint. ## Use the Durable Object Container API The Durable Object Container API is available through `ctx.container` of the Durable Object. It exposes the container runtime without adding lifecycle policy. ```ts import { DurableObject } from "cloudflare:workers"; export class MyContainer extends DurableObject { constructor(ctx: DurableObjectState, env: Env) { super(ctx, env); ctx.blockConcurrencyWhile(() => ctx.container.setInactivityTimeout(10 * 60 * 1000), ); } async fetch(request: Request): Promise { if (!this.ctx.container.running) { this.ctx.container.start({ enableInternet: true }); } return this.ctx.container.getTcpPort(8080).fetch(request); } } ``` The `running` property does not indicate port readiness. Check the required port before routing the first request if your process needs time to start. For all methods, refer to the [Durable Object Container API](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/durable-object-container/). ## Use the Container class The [Container class ↗](https://github.com/cloudflare/containers) extends `DurableObject`. It adds default routing, readiness checks, lifecycle hooks, activity tracking, and scheduled callbacks. ```ts import { Container } from "@cloudflare/containers"; export class MyContainer extends Container { defaultPort = 8080; sleepAfter = "10m"; } ``` These helpers reduce application code. They also add lifecycle state and scheduled work to the Durable Object. For all properties and methods, refer to the [Container class API](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/container-class/). Was this helpful? YesNo ## On this page [![](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/_astro/logo.te5VL_aD.svg)Docs](https://codex-container-api-docs.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/#page","headline":"API · Cloudflare Containers docs","description":"Choose between the Durable Object Container API and the higher-level Container class.","url":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/containers/api/","inLanguage":"en","image":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/og-docs.png","dateModified":"2026-08-28","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Cloudflare","description":"One platform for your apps, agents, and workforce. 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