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

# Creating Instances

> Create new GPU instances via the Cloud Console. Select hardware profiles and initialize environments on the Thunder Compute platform.

export const QuickstartCard = ({ title, icon, href, children, selected }) => {
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};

<Columns cols={3}>
  <QuickstartCard title="VS Code" icon="window" href="/docs/vscode/operations/creating-instances">
    Editor extension
  </QuickstartCard>

  <QuickstartCard title="CLI" icon="terminal" href="/docs/cli/operations/creating-instances">
    Command line
  </QuickstartCard>

  <QuickstartCard title="Console" icon="browser" href="/docs/console/operations/creating-instances" selected={true}>
    Web interface
  </QuickstartCard>
</Columns>

## Create an Instance

1. Log in to the [console](https://console.thundercompute.com)
2. Click **Create Instance**
3. A dialog will open—select your GPU type, GPU count, CPU, disk size, and template
4. Click **Launch**

## Configuration Options

The console provides the same configuration options as the CLI and extension:

* **GPU Type**: Available GPU family
* **GPU Count**: 1, 2, 4, or 8 when available for the selected GPU
* **vCPUs**: Options vary by GPU type and count
* **Disk**: Range varies by GPU configuration
* **Template**: Base, Ollama, ComfyUI, and more

## GPU, CPU, and RAM

Available GPU types, GPU counts, vCPU options, and RAM configurations vary by configuration. Check the [pricing page](https://www.thundercompute.com/pricing) for current options.

## Templates

Templates pre-configure your instance for common AI workflows:

| Template   | Description                     |
| ---------- | ------------------------------- |
| `base`     | Ubuntu with PyTorch + CUDA      |
| `ollama`   | Ollama server environment       |
| `comfy-ui` | ComfyUI for AI image generation |

See [Using Instance Templates](/docs/guides/using-instance-templates) for more details.

## Restore from Snapshot

When creating a new instance, select your snapshot from the template options.