Use DigitalOcean’s official doctl command-line interface to create, inspect, and manage Droplets through the DigitalOcean API. The safe workflow is to install and authenticate the CLI, discover current image, size, and region options, then run only the action you intend—especially carefully for resize and destroy operations.
What you need before using doctl
DigitalOcean describes doctl as its official command-line interface. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux and supports most Control Panel functionality. The CLI reference and options can change, so use doctl compute --help and the current command reference when a command or flag differs from an example.
- A DigitalOcean account with permission to manage the Droplets and related resources you need.
- The
doctlCLI installed for your operating system. - A DigitalOcean personal access token for CLI authentication.
- An SSH key for secure access to the guest operating system, if you will administer it remotely.
Install and authenticate
- Follow DigitalOcean’s doctl installation instructions for your operating system.
- Create a personal access token in your DigitalOcean account, granting only the permissions needed for your intended work.
- Run
doctl auth initand follow the prompt to authenticate. Treat the token like a password: do not publish it, commit it to a repository, or paste it into a shared command example. - Check the CLI is available with
doctl compute --help. For detailed current syntax, consult the doctl command reference.
Choose current Droplet settings
Image, size, and region determine what you provision. Slugs and capacity can change, so query the account’s current options rather than copying an old example.
doctl compute region listlists regions.doctl compute size listlists available sizes.doctl compute image list-distributionlists distribution images.
Choose an image that suits the operating system and software you plan to run, a size with appropriate resources for the workload, and a region suitable for your deployment. DigitalOcean’s Droplet creation guide covers these choices, SSH keys, user data, backups, monitoring, IPv6, private networking, and tags. They are workload-dependent configuration options, not universal requirements. Backup options add cost; review the current account pricing and settings before enabling them.
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For remote login, DigitalOcean recommends SSH-key authentication as more secure than password authentication. Add the public key during creation where appropriate, and keep the private key private.
Create a Droplet
The basic command form is:
doctl compute droplet create <droplet-name> --size <size-slug> --image <image-slug> --region <region-slug>--size and --image are required by the Droplet create command reference. Supply a region explicitly when you want to select one; if omitted, the account’s default region is used. Replace each angle-bracketed value with a current slug from the listing commands. Do not treat a copied image or size slug as evergreen.
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The creation guide also documents options such as SSH keys and user data. Check the current command reference for exact flag names and accepted values before adding them to the command.
Inspect and operate existing Droplets
Use doctl compute --help or the current CLI reference to find the supported list, retrieve, action, and delete commands. DigitalOcean’s Droplet API reference describes operations including create, retrieve, destroy, reboot, backup-related actions, and snapshots.
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Separate inspection and reversible actions from operations that can remove data or change capacity. Confirm the Droplet identity before acting, and read the specific command’s options before executing it. In particular, treat destroy as a destructive operation: verify the target and that anything you need to retain has been backed up or saved elsewhere.
Resize a Droplet safely
DigitalOcean’s resize instructions call for powering off the Droplet before resizing, then powering it back on after the resize. The guide recommends shutting down from inside the guest operating system to reduce data-corruption risk.
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- Connect to the Droplet and shut down the operating system with
sudo shutdown -h now. Ensure you have saved work and that services can tolerate downtime. - Use the documented
doctlpower-off action if needed, then perform the resize action with a currently available size slug. Check the current resize guide and CLI reference for exact syntax. - Decide carefully whether to resize the disk. Do not add
--resize-disk=trueby default: disk expansion has consequences, and the supported resize direction depends on the selected change. Confirm the current guide supports the intended direction before proceeding. - Power the Droplet back on using the documented CLI action, then verify that the guest boots and the services you rely on are responding.
Attach a Cloud Firewall with deliberate rules
DigitalOcean Cloud Firewalls are stateful, network-based firewalls for Droplets. They block traffic unless a rule permits it. Create rules for only the inbound and outbound ports and sources the workload needs, then check that the firewall is attached to the intended Droplets.
The firewall management guide documents listing Droplet IDs and using doctl compute firewall add-droplets or doctl compute firewall remove-droplets to manage attachment. The firewall creation guide explains creating a firewall and defining inbound and outbound rules. Confirm IDs or supported tags before applying a change; an overly broad rule or incorrect attachment can expose services or interrupt access.
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Common command-line management mistakes
- A command rejects a slug: availability changes. Refresh the region, size, or image list and use a current value.
- Authentication fails: check that
doctl auth initcompleted and that the token is valid and has the permissions needed for the requested action. Never share the token while troubleshooting. - You cannot connect after creation: verify the Droplet is powered on, the correct SSH key was configured, and firewall rules permit the required source and port.
- A firewall change blocks access: review the firewall’s inbound rules and Droplet attachments; allow only the access you need, using an appropriate source range.
- A resize does not proceed as expected: confirm the Droplet is powered off, the selected size is available, and the requested disk change is supported in that direction. Follow the documented shutdown and power-on sequence.
- You are unsure of a flag: check
doctl compute --helpand the current command reference instead of assuming syntax from an older tutorial.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
