Use Cases
Shardlyn is a BYO-cloud control plane for running container workloads on your own infrastructure.
Many users discover Shardlyn through game server management, but the same platform primitives apply to web apps, APIs, databases, and operational tooling:
- Nodes: Your cloud VMs or existing Linux servers
- Workloads: Reusable container templates
- Instances: Running containers created from workloads
- Control Plane: Provisioning, deployment, observability, backups, DNS, and team access
How To Read This Page
Use the sections below to map your workload type to the most relevant Shardlyn features and documentation.
1. Game Servers (Acquisition Wedge)
Best for communities, hosts, and admins who want infrastructure ownership without giving up ease of use.
Typical workloads:
- Minecraft / Paper / Fabric
- CS2 / Source engine servers
- Rust / Valheim / Palworld
- Modded or plugin-heavy community servers
Why Shardlyn fits:
- BYO-cloud provisioning and node management
- Template-based deployment with repeatable config
- Browser console, file management, backups, and restore
- DNS and Git-based update workflows
Start here:
2. Web Apps And APIs
Best for teams running self-managed services that need a lightweight control plane instead of a full PaaS.
Typical workloads:
- Node.js / Bun APIs
- Python web services
- WordPress / PHP apps
- Internal tools and dashboards
Why Shardlyn fits:
- Workload templates for repeatable app deployment
- BYO-cloud cost control and provider choice
- DNS integration for custom domains
- Observability and alerting for day-2 operations
Start here:
3. Databases And Data Services
Best for teams that need operational control over stateful services on their own nodes.
Typical workloads:
- PostgreSQL / MySQL
- Redis / Valkey
- MongoDB
- Object storage gateways and supporting services
Why Shardlyn fits:
- Persistent volumes and declarative workload specs
- Controlled deployment to known nodes
- Backup workflows and restore operations
- Team/RBAC controls for operations access
Start here:
4. DevOps And Platform Tooling
Best for operators who want to run internal platform services on customer-owned infrastructure.
Typical workloads:
- Grafana / Prometheus add-ons
- CI runners
- Queue workers / schedulers
- Self-hosted support services (n8n, automation tools, etc.)
Why Shardlyn fits:
- Standard container deployment model
- Multi-node operations and centralized control
- Metrics and alerting for operational visibility
- Git-based workflows for configuration sync
Start here:
Cross-Cutting Capabilities
These features matter across all workload types:
- Provisioning: Cloud Provisioning
- Security: Security Guide, Threat Model
- Teams and RBAC: Organizations
- Billing and Limits: Billing, Pricing
- Workload Schema: Workload Specification
Choosing Between Templates And Custom Workloads
Use a built-in template when:
- You want the fastest setup path
- You need common defaults for a known service
- You want predictable port/env/config behavior
Use a custom workload when:
- You already have a Docker image and runtime contract
- You need custom entrypoints, install steps, or volume layout
- You are standardizing an internal service pattern for your team
Next Steps
- Getting Started — First workload deployment workflow
- Workloads Guide — Build and manage reusable templates
- Provisioning Guide — Add nodes in your cloud accounts
- Architecture — Understand the control plane + agent model