DigitalOcean Compute Skill
progressive_disclosure: entry_point: summary: "Compute on DigitalOcean: Droplets, App Platform, Functions, Kubernetes, GPU Droplets, Bare Metal GPUs." when_to_use: - "When choosing a compute model for an application" - "When provisioning VMs, PaaS, serverless, or Kubernetes" - "When planning GPU-backed workloads" quick_start: - "Pick Droplets, App Platform, Functions, or Kubernetes" - "Select region, size, and image" - "Configure networking and access" - "Deploy and monitor workloads" token_estimate: entry: 90-110 full: 4000-5200
Overview
DigitalOcean compute includes VMs, managed PaaS, serverless functions, and managed Kubernetes, plus GPU offerings for AI workloads.
Droplets (VMs)
Use Droplets for full OS control and custom networking.
- Choose region and Droplet plan.
- Select an OS image or snapshot.
- Add SSH keys for secure access.
- Attach Volumes for persistent block storage.
- Apply firewalls and VPC configuration.
App Platform (PaaS)
Use App Platform to deploy from Git or container images with managed build and runtime.
- Connect a Git repository or container registry.
- Define build and run commands or app spec.
- Set environment variables and secrets.
- Configure custom domains and HTTPS.
Functions (FaaS)
Use Functions for event-driven or lightweight API workloads.
- Create a Functions namespace.
- Deploy functions with doctl or the Control Panel.
- Configure environment variables and triggers.
- Monitor execution and logs.
Kubernetes (DOKS)
Use managed Kubernetes for multi-service container orchestration.
- Create a cluster and node pools.
- Save kubeconfig for cluster access.
- Deploy workloads with Kubernetes manifests.
- Pull images from Container Registry.
GPU Compute
Use GPU Droplets or Bare Metal GPUs for AI and ML workloads.
- GPU Droplets: VM-based GPU workloads with flexible sizing.
- Bare Metal GPUs: Dedicated GPU hardware for high performance.
Compute Selection Guide
- Use Droplets for full control and custom configurations.
- Use App Platform for managed app deployments from Git or containers.
- Use Functions for event-driven workflows and micro APIs.
- Use Kubernetes for multi-service container orchestration.
- Use GPU Droplets or Bare Metal GPUs for AI or GPU-heavy workloads.
Complementary Skills
When using this skill, consider these related skills (if deployed):
- digitalocean-containers-images: Registry and image workflows.
- digitalocean-storage: Spaces, Volumes, and backups.
- kubernetes: Cluster operations and troubleshooting.
- docker: Container build and runtime patterns.
*Note: Complementary skills are optional. This skill is fully functional without them.*
Resources
DigitalOcean Docs:
- Compute: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/compute/
- Droplets: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/droplets/
- App Platform: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/app-platform/
- Functions: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/functions/
- Kubernetes: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/kubernetes/
- GPU Droplets: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/gpu-droplets/
- Bare Metal GPUs: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/bare-metal-gpus/