Creating a Droplet on DigitalOcean

Deploying a Virtual Private Server (VPS) isn’t as hard as it might seem. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of setting up a server correctly. I’ll be using Pop!_OS (built on Ubuntu) for my main computer and Ubuntu Server for my VPS. For this tutorial, I’ve chosen DigitalOcean as my VPS provider.

Step 1: Set Up a DigitalOcean Account

Start by creating an account on DigitalOcean. It’s a simple process, and with my referral link, you’ll receive $200 in credit to use on DigitalOcean for 60 days.

Step 2: Generate an SSH Key

You’ll need an SSH key for secure authentication. If you don’t already have one, follow These instructions to create an SSH key.

Step 3: Create a Droplet

Once your account is set up, navigate to the DigitalOcean dashboard and click on Create > Droplets. DigitalOcean refers to their VPS instances as “Droplets.”

Creating a Droplet Creating a Droplet

Select Data Center

Choose a data center closest to you or your target audience.

Choose an Image

Select Ubuntu 24.10 x64 as your operating system.

Choose a Plan

For small websites, the $4/month plan is sufficient. This plan includes:

  • 1 CPU
  • 512 MB of RAM
  • 10 GB SSD
  • 500 GB of transfer bandwidth

selecting a plan selecting a plan

If your needs grow, you can always upgrade later.

Authentication Method

Use SSH key authentication—it’s more secure than using a password. To add your SSH key:

  1. Open a terminal on your main desktop and run the following command:

    cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

    SSH Public Key in Terminal SSH Public Key in Terminal

  2. Copy the output starting with ssh-ed25519 and ending with your email address.

  3. Paste it into the New SSH Key section on the DigitalOcean dashboard, name it, and click Add SSH Key.
    Adding an SSH Key Adding an SSH Key

Step 4: Finalize and Create Your Droplet

Scroll down, change the hostname to something meaningful, and click Create Droplet.
Changing Hostname Changing Hostname

What’s Next?

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created your first Droplet. Now, you can begin configuring it for your specific needs.