Quickstarts
Get running in minutes with step-by-step guides.
Prerequisites
Before you start, you need a Tower account. Use the dashboard in your browser from any device.
1. Create an account
Sign up at the Tower dashboard. After verifying your email, you can create projects and generate API keys from the account settings.
2. Spin your first VM
In the dashboard, open Virtual Machines and click Create. Choose a size (e.g. 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM), pick a region and image (e.g. Ubuntu 24), then launch. Your instance appears in the list; use the SSH details shown to connect from your machine.
3. Deploy a container (optional)
To run a container instead, go to Containers in the dashboard. Create a new deployment, specify an image (e.g. from Docker Hub) and the port your app uses. Once it’s running, your app gets a URL you can use or attach a custom domain to.
4. Use the API
For automation, use your API key with the REST API. The API Reference covers instances, containers, databases, and static sites. Authenticate with the Authorization: Bearer <API_KEY> header.
Next steps
Explore the API Reference for programmatic access, or read the Frameworks guides to deploy Next.js, React, and other stacks. For billing and limits, see the dashboard and Pricing.