VPS Deployment Guide

What it does

Walks through full virtual private server provisioning, from account creation to a hardened, production-ready box. Always shows the estimated cost before confirming anything that will generate billing.

When to use it

• Needing a dedicated server for a client's automations, n8n, or bots
• Migrating an app from shared hosting to owned infrastructure
• Setting up an isolated environment for production testing

Steps

1. Interview the user about the server's purpose and desired region
2. Show a price quote before creating any billable resource
3. Create the API token with the minimum permissions needed
4. Provision the server behind a firewall from first boot
5. Apply basic hardening: users, SSH, automatic updates
6. Deliver a configuration summary without exposing credentials in chat

The skill

---
name: vps-deployment-guide
description: Step-by-step guide to safely provision a VPS: account setup, API token, firewall, hardening, and a price quote before anything bills.
---

# VPS Deployment Guide

## 1. What it does
Walks through full virtual private server provisioning, from account creation to a hardened, production-ready box. Always shows the estimated cost before confirming anything that will generate billing.

## 2. When to use it
- Needing a dedicated server for a client's automations, n8n, or bots
- Migrating an app from shared hosting to owned infrastructure
- Setting up an isolated environment for production testing

## 3. Steps
1. Interview the user about the server's purpose and desired region
2. Show a price quote before creating any billable resource
3. Create the API token with the minimum permissions needed
4. Provision the server behind a firewall from first boot
5. Apply basic hardening: users, SSH, automatic updates
6. Deliver a configuration summary without exposing credentials in chat

## 4. Safety rules
Always work in draft mode: nothing is sent, published, or paid for without explicit client approval. Never invent data, metrics, or results. No passwords, tokens, or API keys are requested or shown in chat.

## 5. Deliverable
A clear, reviewable draft of the output (text, code, report, or file), ready for the user to approve before it becomes final.

For Claude Code, save it as ~/.claude/skills/vps-deployment-guide/SKILL.md. In Cursor, ChatGPT or another assistant, paste it as project instructions.