# Droplet Quickstart

DigitalOcean Droplets are Linux-based virtual machines (VMs) that run on top of virtualized hardware. Each Droplet you create is a new server you can use, either standalone or as part of a larger, cloud-based infrastructure.

## Create Droplets

1. From the **Create** menu in the top right of the [control panel](https://cloud.digitalocean.com), click **Droplets**.
2. Choose an image, which can be a Linux distribution, container distribution, one-click app, [snapshot](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/snapshots/index.html.md), or [backup](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/backups/index.html.md).
3. Choose a [plan and size](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/droplets/details/pricing/index.html.md) for your Droplet, which determines its RAM, disk space, and vCPUs as well as its price. Learn more about [how to choose the right Droplet plan](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/droplets/concepts/choosing-a-plan/index.html.md).

The Droplet create screen has a number of options after this, which you can customize now or after creation. To accept the defaults, scroll to the bottom and click **Create**. Otherwise:

4. Optionally, add [block storage](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/volumes/index.html.md).
5. Choose a [datacenter region](https://docs.digitalocean.com/platform/regional-availability/index.html.md).
6. Select a [VPC network](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/networking/vpc/index.html.md) for the Droplet.
7. Select additional options, like [IPv6](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/networking/ipv6/index.html.md) and [monitoring](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/monitoring/index.html.md). These options come at no additional cost, and are easier to enable now than after creation.
8. Choose an [SSH key](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/droplets/how-to/add-ssh-keys/index.html.md), if you’ve added one, or create a root password for the Droplet.
9. Enter a name and click **Create**.

From here, you can follow our [detailed guide on connecting to Droplets with SSH](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/droplets/how-to/connect-with-ssh/index.html.md), or follow the instructions below.

## Connect to Droplets

To connect by using a terminal on Linux, macOS, or Windows Subsystem for Linux:

1. Open your terminal, and enter the command `ssh username@203.0.113.0`.

   Substitute in your Droplet’s IP address after the `@`. The username is `root` on most distributions.
2. Press `ENTER` and answer `yes` to the prompt that confirms the connection.
3. If you’re not using SSH keys, enter your password when prompted.

Windows users can alternatively [connect with PuTTY](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/droplets/how-to/connect-with-ssh/putty/index.html.md).

When you’ve logged in, your command prompt changes and you see a welcome screen.

## Destroy Droplets

Destroying a Droplet permanently and irreversibly destroys the Droplet, its contents, automated backups, and any associated resources that you have selected to destroy along with the Droplet.

1. To save one or more of the Droplet’s backup images, [convert those backups into snapshots](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/backups/how-to/convert-to-snapshot/index.html.md) before destroying the Droplet.
2. From the [control panel](https://cloud.digitalocean.com), click the Droplet’s **More** menu and choose **Destroy**.
3. (Optional) On the Droplet’s **Destroy** page, under **Destroy Droplet and backups**, click **Show associated resources** and select any of the Droplet’s connected resources that you would also like to destroy.
4. Click **Destroy this Droplet and backups** (or **Destroy this Droplet and X selected resources** if you are also destroying resources associated with the Droplet).
5. Confirm the destruction in the confirmation window that opens by clicking **Confirm** (or **Destroy** if you are also destroying resources associated with the Droplet). If you are also destroying associated resources, it prompts you to enter the Droplet’s name into the confirmation window before destroying the Droplet.