> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.qovery.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create Your Cluster

> Set up a managed Kubernetes cluster as the foundation for your Qovery deployment

<Info>
  **This is Step 1** - You need a cluster before deploying applications. This takes about 30 minutes and only needs to be done once.
</Info>

## Why Create a Cluster First?

Your Kubernetes cluster is the foundation where all your applications, databases, and services will run. Qovery handles all the complexity:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Infrastructure Management" icon="server">
    Kubernetes installation, configuration, and upgrades
  </Card>

  <Card title="Networking & Security" icon="shield">
    Load balancing, SSL/TLS certificates, and secure networking
  </Card>

  <Card title="Auto-Scaling" icon="chart-line">
    Automatic scaling based on traffic and resource usage
  </Card>

  <Card title="Monitoring & Logging" icon="chart-bar">
    Built-in observability and log aggregation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  **After creating your cluster**, return to your use case guide:

  * [Production Applications](/getting-started/guides/use-cases/production-environment-management)
  * [Ephemeral Environments](/getting-started/guides/use-cases/ephemeral-environment)
</Note>

***

## Choose Your Cloud Provider

Select where you want Qovery to create your managed Kubernetes cluster:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Amazon Web Services" icon="https://mintcdn.com/qovery/Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy/images/logos/cloud-providers/aws-icon.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy&q=85&s=12ef689645255696bfa4054d6e3aeaff" href="/getting-started/installation/aws" width="24" height="24" data-path="images/logos/cloud-providers/aws-icon.svg">
    <Badge text="Most Popular Choice" />
  </Card>

  <Card title="Google Cloud Platform" icon="https://mintcdn.com/qovery/Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy/images/logos/cloud-providers/gcp-icon.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy&q=85&s=e38f243f4f39d204ebc65102ab2a7e3c" href="/getting-started/installation/gcp" width="24" height="24" data-path="images/logos/cloud-providers/gcp-icon.svg">
    <Badge text="Best Performance" />
  </Card>

  <Card title="Microsoft Azure" icon="https://mintcdn.com/qovery/Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy/images/logos/cloud-providers/azure-icon.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy&q=85&s=0d214ad250aa99938f4f1796bb506fb9" href="/getting-started/installation/azure" width="24" height="24" data-path="images/logos/cloud-providers/azure-icon.svg">
    <Badge text="Enterprise Ready" />
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scaleway" icon="https://mintcdn.com/qovery/Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy/images/logos/cloud-providers/scaleway-icon.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=Nvnl0g5BHzA0XQmy&q=85&s=98d01c5b36e963048f139a17f6ff72a8" href="/getting-started/installation/scaleway" width="24" height="24" data-path="images/logos/cloud-providers/scaleway-icon.svg">
    <Badge text="Europe First" />
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## What You'll Get

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Managed Kubernetes Cluster" icon="server">
    Your cluster will be created using your cloud provider's managed Kubernetes service:

    * **AWS**: Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
    * **GCP**: Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
    * **Azure**: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
    * **Scaleway**: Kapsule Kubernetes

    Qovery automatically configures:

    * Latest stable Kubernetes version
    * Multi-node setup for high availability
    * Automatic updates and patches
    * Optimized configurations for production
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Production Networking" icon="network-wired">
    Complete networking infrastructure:

    * **VPC/VNet**: Isolated network for your resources
    * **Load Balancers**: Automatic traffic distribution
    * **NAT Gateways**: Secure outbound connectivity
    * **Security Groups**: Firewall rules and access control
    * **SSL/TLS Certificates**: Automatic HTTPS encryption
    * **Custom Domains**: Support for your own domains
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Auto-Scaling & High Availability" icon="chart-line">
    Built-in scalability and reliability:

    * **Node Auto-Scaling**: Automatically add/remove cluster nodes based on demand
    * **Multi-Availability Zones**: Resources distributed across multiple data centers
    * **Pod Auto-Scaling**: Scale applications based on CPU/memory usage
    * **Health Checks**: Automatic failure detection and recovery
    * **Zero-Downtime Updates**: Deploy without service interruption
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Security & Compliance" icon="shield">
    Enterprise-grade security:

    * **Private Container Registry**: Secure image storage
    * **Secrets Management**: Encrypted environment variables
    * **Network Isolation**: Private subnets and security groups
    * **Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)**: Team permissions management
    * **Audit Logs**: Track all infrastructure changes
    * **Encryption**: Data encrypted at rest and in transit
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Monitoring & Logging" icon="chart-bar">
    Complete observability:

    * **Real-Time Logs**: Application and infrastructure logs
    * **Metrics & Dashboards**: CPU, memory, network usage
    * **Deployment History**: Track all changes and rollbacks
    * **Build Logs**: Complete CI/CD pipeline visibility
    * **Alerting**: Optional integration with Datadog, Grafana
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## What's Next?

<Warning>
  **Important:** Cluster creation is just Step 1. After your cluster is ready, you must return to your use case guide to complete the setup.
</Warning>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Production Applications" icon="rocket" href="/getting-started/guides/use-cases/production-environment-management">
    **Continue your setup:**

    * Deploy your first application
    * Configure auto-scaling
    * Set up monitoring
    * Add custom domains
  </Card>

  <Card title="Ephemeral Environments" icon="code-branch" href="/getting-started/guides/use-cases/ephemeral-environment">
    **Continue your setup:**

    * Enable preview environments
    * Configure PR deployments
    * Set up auto-cleanup policies
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deploy First App" icon="play" href="/getting-started/guides/getting-started/deploy-your-first-application">
    **Quick start option:**

    Skip the full guide and deploy your first application right away
  </Card>

  <Card title="Explore More Use Cases" icon="compass" href="/getting-started/quickstart">
    **Browse all options:**

    See all available use cases and deployment scenarios
  </Card>
</CardGroup>