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

# Connect a BYOCloud node

> Save provider credentials, choose a tested region and StackShift tier, and wait for the provisioned cloud node to become healthy and schedulable.

<Tip>
  **Live.** This area is documented as current, user-reliable behavior.
</Tip>

## Goal

Walk from saved provider credentials to a healthy BYOCloud node in the Nodes page.

## Prerequisites

* A provider account with the required permissions
* Dashboard access to the Nodes page

## Workflow

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Add a provider connection in the BYOCloud panel.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Validate the connection using the saved provider configuration.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Choose the provider connection, region, StackShift tier, and node name.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Wait for bootstrap, agent registration, and a fresh heartbeat before placing workloads on the node.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Provider setup expectations

* Hetzner uses a project-scoped API token.
* DigitalOcean uses a scoped personal access token.
* AWS uses access key ID, secret access key, optional session token, and a default region.

## Provisioning model

* StackShift tiers stay starter, growth, and pro instead of exposing raw provider SKUs.
* Regions are limited to StackShift-tested provider locations.
* Provisioning creates a BYOCloud node record, starts an async provisioning operation, bootstraps the machine, installs the agent, and waits for heartbeat before the node becomes schedulable.

## Expected result

<Check>
  A BYOCloud node is provisioned and ready to host projects, stacks, or database flows once healthy.
</Check>

## Related guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="BYOCloud overview" href="/nodes/byocloud-overview">
    Connect customer-owned cloud accounts to StackShift, provision cloud-backed nodes, and operate them through the same node workflows used elsewhere in the product.
  </Card>

  <Card title="BYOCloud cloud resources" href="/nodes/byocloud-resource-add-ons">
    Manage provider-backed node resources such as volumes, snapshots, placement metadata, stable public IPs, refresh, retry, reboot, and delete actions from the node detail surface.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Maintenance mode" href="/nodes/maintenance-mode">
    Use maintenance as a safety control before upgrades or disruptive host changes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>