# Connect your DigitalOcean account

Generate a personal access token with full access in DigitalOcean, connect it to Nuvlo, and create your first Droplet.

## Before you start

- A DigitalOcean account with a payment method
- The **Owner**, **Admin** or **Developer** role on your Nuvlo account

## Step 1: Open API tokens in DigitalOcean

Sign in to the DigitalOcean control panel. If you belong to several teams, switch to the team the servers should belong to. The token works on that team’s resources.

In the left menu, open **API** and stay on the **Tokens** tab. Click **Generate New Token**.

## Step 2: Generate the token

- Token name: something you’ll recognize, such as “Nuvlo”.
- Expiration: pick what suits you. When the token expires, Nuvlo can no longer manage your Droplets until you replace it.
- Scopes: choose **Full Access**. A **Read Only** token connects without an error, but Nuvlo can’t create Droplets with it.

If you use **Custom Scopes**, the token needs at least `account:read` to connect, plus full access to Droplets and access to the images, snapshots and actions Nuvlo works with. Add `billing:read` if you want [provider bill reminders](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/provider-bills) to show DigitalOcean’s own amounts. **Full Access** covers all of this.

## Step 3: Copy the token

DigitalOcean shows the token once. Copy it now. If you lose it, generate a new one.

## Step 4: Add the token in Nuvlo

In Nuvlo, open **Integrations** → [Server providers](https://app.nuvlo.dev/dashboard/integrations/server-providers), click **Add provider** and choose **DigitalOcean**.

![The Add provider dialog with DigitalOcean among the providers](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/connect-a-server-provider--picker.webp)

Enter an **Account label (optional)** and paste the token into **API key or token**.

![The Connect DigitalOcean dialog with the Account label and API key or token fields](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/connect-digitalocean--connect-dialog.webp)

## Step 5: Connect and check

Click **Connect account**. Nuvlo checks the token with DigitalOcean and saves it. The account shows under **Connected accounts**.

![The Connected accounts table with a provider account, its status and the Manage button](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/connect-a-server-provider--connected.webp)

## Step 6: Create your first Droplet

Open [Create server](https://app.nuvlo.dev/dashboard/servers/create), choose **DigitalOcean** and, if you have several, the account under **Account**. Click **Choose what to host** and follow [Create a server](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/create-a-server).

DigitalOcean calls servers Droplets. They appear in your DigitalOcean control panel under the team you created the token in.

## Good to know

| Topic | On DigitalOcean |
| --- | --- |
| Billing | Hourly, capped at the monthly price. DigitalOcean bills you directly. |
| Plans | Basic, General Purpose and CPU-Optimized Droplets. |
| Resizing | Bigger or smaller plans. Smaller only when the disk fits. The IP address stays the same. |
| Provider backups | Daily (30% of the server price, 7 kept) or weekly (20%, 4 kept). |
| Snapshots | Restore over the server or into a new one. |

The token is for servers only. To keep site backups in DigitalOcean Spaces, connect Spaces separately as described in [Connect backup storage](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/connect-backup-storage).

## Troubleshooting

- **The provider rejected this key**: the token was mistyped, revoked or has expired. Generate a new one.
- The message mentions `account:read`: the token uses custom scopes without account access. Add it, or generate a **Full Access** token.
- Droplets stop being manageable after a while: the token has probably expired. Generate a new one and paste it under **Manage** on the Server providers page.

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Source: https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/connect-digitalocean