Zeno: Disposable Browser Isolation Platform

Zeno enables users to browse through isolated, temporary browser sessions without executing web content directly on the local environment.

Zeno is a lightweight container-based browser isolation platform built with FastAPI and Docker. It launches temporary Firefox and Tor browser sessions inside isolated Docker containers and exposes them through a web-based VNC interface.

Instead of running browsing sessions directly on the user’s system, Zeno executes browser activity in disposable containers that are automatically monitored and cleaned up when sessions end.

Core Features

• Disposable Browser Sessions: Launch isolated Firefox or Tor browser containers with automatic cleanup after session termination.
• Containerized Isolation: Each session runs independently inside its own Docker container.
• Web-Based Browser Access: Access browser sessions through a browser-based VNC interface without installing additional local software.
• Background Session Monitoring: Monitor threads, track container lifecycle events, and trigger cleanup when sessions exit.
• Dynamic Port Allocation: Docker automatically assigns available ports to avoid collisions between simultaneous sessions.

System Architecture

Zeno is designed as a lightweight single-node browser isolation backend.

• Backend (FastAPI): Handles API requests, session tracking, Docker interactions, and lifecycle management.
• Isolation Layer (Docker): Runs Firefox and Tor browser instances inside isolated containers.
• Frontend (React/Vite): Connects users to active browser sessions through dynamically exposed VNC endpoints.

Tech Stack

• Backend: Python 3.12, FastAPI
• Frontend: React, Vite
• Infrastructure: Docker, Docker Python SDK
• Browser Access: Web-based VNC interface

Current Limitations

Zeno is currently designed as a lightweight local or single-node system and is not yet production hardened.

Current limitations include:

• In-memory session state management
• Synchronous Docker SDK operations
• No authentication or HTTPS/WSS support
• Single-host Docker dependency
• No distributed orchestration or queueing system

Note: Zeno is an early-stage project focused on core browser isolation functionality. It is not yet intended for production use and should be used only for experimentation and learning.