# container

The step-level `container` field controls whether a single step runs inside the workflow's container sandbox or on the host. It is separate from the [`type: container`](/workflows/steps/type/container) step type.

## Workflow Container Override

When the workflow has a [container](/workflows/container), eligible `type: shell` steps run inside it by default. Set `container: false` to run a shell step on the host:

```yaml
steps:
  - name: host-check
    type: shell
    container: false
    command: echo "this step runs on the host"
```

Set a step-level `container` object to run that shell step in its own container configuration:

```yaml
steps:
  - name: isolated
    type: shell
    container:
      image: alpine:latest
      shell: /bin/sh
    command: uname -a
```

## Container Step Type

The [`type: container`](/workflows/steps/type/container) value is a step type for Docker or Podman actions:

```yaml
steps:
  - name: build
    type: container
    action: build
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
      tags:
        - app:local

  - name: smoke
    type: container
    action: run
    run:
      image: app:local
      command: uname -a
```

Supported actions are `build`, `push`, `run`, and `inspect`. Action-specific configuration lives under the matching `build`, `push`, `run`, or `inspect` field on the same step object.