VPS / Server

Virtual Private Server

In one sentenceYour own always-on computer in the cloud, rented by the month, where websites, apps and AI agents can run 24/7.

What it means

A VPS is a slice of a big data-center machine that behaves like your own computer: its own operating system (usually Linux), storage and public IP address. Providers include DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Contabo, Linode and AWS Lightsail, often from a few dollars a month.

It is where you host apps AI builds for you, and where self-hosted agents like OpenClaw and Hermes Agent can run around the clock. You manage it over SSH, and point a domain at it with an A Record.

How to use it

• Start with a small, cheap server for experiments and keep it separate from anything important.
• Turn on the firewall, automatic security updates and backups on day one. Ask your AI agent to do it and explain each step.
• Keep secrets in .env files with tight permissions, not inside the code.

Related terms

SSH A Record DNS SSL / HTTPS OpenClaw