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Overview

Pods are running container instances. You can pull an instance from a container registry such as Docker Hub, GitHub Container Registry, Amazon Elastic Container Registry, or another compatible registry.

note

When building an image for RunPod on a Mac (Apple Silicon), use the flag --platform linux/amd64 to ensure your image is compatible with the platform. This flag is necessary because RunPod currently only supports the linux/amd64 architecture.

Understanding Pod components and configuration​

A Pod is a server container created by you to access the hardware, with a dynamically generated assigned identifier. For example, 2s56cp0pof1rmt identifies the instance.

A Pod comprises a container volume with the operating system and temporary storage, a disk volume for permanent storage, an Ubuntu Linux container, allocated vCPU and system RAM, optional GPUs or CPUs for specific workloads, a pre-configured template for easy software access, and a proxy connection for web access.

Each Pod encompasses a variety of components:

  • A container volume that houses the operating system and temporary storage.
    • This storage is volatile and will be lost if the Pod is halted or rebooted.
  • A disk volume for permanent storage, preserved for the duration of the Pod's lease, akin to a hard disk.
    • This storage is persistent and will be available even if the Pod is halted or rebooted.
  • Network storage, similar to a volume but can be moved between machines.
    • When using network storage, you can only delete the Pod.
  • An Ubuntu Linux container, capable of running almost any software that can be executed on Ubuntu.
  • Assigned vCPU and system RAM dedicated to the container and any processes it runs.
  • Optional GPUs or CPUs, tailored for specific workloads like CUDA or AI/ML tasks, though not mandatory for starting the container.
  • A pre-configured template that automates the installation of software and settings upon Pod creation, offering straightforward, one-click access to various packages.
  • A proxy connection for web access, allowing connectivity to any open port on the container.
    • For example, https://[pod-id]-[port number].proxy.runpod.net, or https://2s56cp0pof1rmt-7860.proxy.runpod.net/).

To get started, see how to Choose a Pod then see the instructions on Manage Pods.

Learn more​

You can jump straight to a running Pod by starting from a template. For more customization, you can configure the following:

To get started, see how to Choose a Pod then see the instructions on Manage Pods.