dosbox-automation

Windows · Linux · API

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Freedom report

One barScore 5.5

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely2 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

dosbox-automation is ranked #10 of 26 in MS-DOS emulators on Freedom251. It runs on API, Linux, Windows.

Compared on MS-DOS emulators

Free plan: Yes
Supported host platforms: Windows, Linux
DOS target versions: ms-dos
Gamepad support: Yes
Audio CD support: Yes
Source available: Yes

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The record

Purpose: dosbox-automation is a DOSBox Staging fork that lets launchers, test harnesses, and scripts launch, drive, and inspect DOS applications and games.
Automation: It provides an HTTP REST API with bearer-token authentication and Swagger UI, plus a sandboxed Lua engine with frame-accurate timing.
Recording: The automation layer supports input and video recording with replay, plus single-frame capture through the API.
Inspection: It supports screen-text reading in text modes and memory and register inspection for debugging.
Install recipes: A Python reference implementation reads TOML recipes to perform unattended installations, including disk swaps, through the REST API and Lua engine.
Emulation: The project includes DOSBox Staging functionality, additional bug fixes and hardening, and a FluidR3 General MIDI soundfont enabled by default.
Security: The webserver binds to localhost by default, requires a bearer token for API requests, and applies restrictions to mounted paths; Lua scripts run without filesystem or process access.
Webserver setting: The built-in HTTP webserver is off by default and must be enabled in the configuration.
Support: The main branch and latest release are supported with security updates; the policy says private vulnerability reports receive a human reply.
License: The independent project is licensed under GNU GPL v2+ and is based on DOSBox Staging.
Platforms: The project states that official builds are available for Windows and Linux, and that it has no official macOS builds.
Linux limit: The official Linux build is statically linked and currently targets x86_64.
Notable compatibility limit: The documentation says Windows 9x (95, 98, ME) is not supported.
What it is: dosbox-automation is a DOSBox Staging fork built around automation that can launch, drive, and inspect DOS applications and games.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best MS-DOS Emulators in 2026#10 of 26

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Sources

dosbox-automation.org· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/security/· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/0.85.1/automation/webserver/· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/0.85.0/tutorials/introduction/· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/0.84-da1/using-dosbox-automation/window· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/0.85.1/automation/overview/index.html· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/security/index.html· checked 3 Oct 2026
dosbox-automation.org/0.85.0/tutorials/introduction/index.htm· checked 3 Oct 2026