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/