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Clusters

Wodby supports four practical deployment choices for Kubernetes-backed applications.

Use these pages when you are deciding where your app should run or when you need to connect or create a cluster.

Quick comparison

Option Best when Created from
Managed Kubernetes You want cloud-native infrastructure in your own provider account Clusters
K3S You want self-hosted Kubernetes on your own server Clusters > Connect server
Wodby Cloud You want Wodby to create and manage the cluster Clusters > New Wodby Cloud cluster or Apps > New app > Step 2
Demo You want a temporary test cluster for 24 hours Clusters > New Wodby Cloud cluster > Demo or Apps > New app > Step 2 > Wodby Cloud > Demo

See Choose a cluster option for the full decision guide.

Cluster environments

Every cluster has an environment type. This is a visual classification for the cluster itself; it does not change Kubernetes configuration or automatically move workloads. Production clusters are marked in the Clusters list, and you can filter the list by environment type.

When you create or edit a cluster, choose how app environments may use it:

  • Any environment type allows non-infrastructure app environments of every type.
  • Restricted allows only the environment types you select. The cluster's own type must be included.

Restrictions use the same fixed environment types used by app environments, integrations, databases, and backup presets. Infrastructure apps that operate the cluster are not restricted by this setting. Wodby rejects a restriction change if an existing app environment on the cluster would become disallowed.

Existing clusters are initially unrestricted. Their visual type is classified as prod when at least one non-infrastructure prod app environment is deployed there; otherwise it is classified as dev.

1. Managed Kubernetes

Ready-to-run, scalable clusters created in your own cloud account through integrations such as GCP, AWS, Azure, DigitalOcean, and OVH.

If you plan to scale your cluster and need more flexibility, we recommend this approach.

Create these clusters from the Clusters section after connecting the corresponding provider integration.

2. Self-hosted Kubernetes with K3S

If you want to save money and have more control over your cluster, you can deploy a self-hosted Kubernetes cluster using K3S.

Connect your server from the Clusters section using the Connect server flow.

3. Wodby Cloud

If you want Wodby to create and manage the cluster for you, create it from Clusters > New Wodby Cloud cluster or choose Wodby Cloud in Step 2 of the new application form. Persistent Wodby Cloud clusters require a paid plan.

Demo

Demo is the temporary Wodby Cloud option for testing. Enable the Demo switch when creating a Wodby Cloud cluster from the Clusters page or from the new application flow. Demo clusters are deleted automatically after 24 hours. Applications deployed to a demo cluster are deleted with it.