> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://powersync-service-yaml-reference.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PowerSync Cloud Instances

> Create and configure PowerSync Cloud instances with a database connection.

A PowerSync instance is a running deployment of the [PowerSync Service](/architecture/powersync-service): it replicates data from your source database and streams it to clients based on your [Sync Streams](/sync/streams/overview). On PowerSync Cloud, instances are hosted and managed for you, and you create and configure them in the [PowerSync Dashboard](https://dashboard.powersync.com) or with the [PowerSync CLI](/tools/cli).

## Create a PowerSync Instance

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Dashboard">
    When creating a project in the [PowerSync Dashboard](https://dashboard.powersync.com/), *Development* and *Production* instances of the PowerSync Service will be created by default. Select the instance you want to configure.

    If you need to create a new instance, follow the steps below.

    1. In the dashboard, select your project and open the instance selection dropdown. Click **Add Instance**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/powersync-service-yaml-reference/yLUpVsQhl5L0hhez/images/usage/tools/dashboard-add-instance.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=yLUpVsQhl5L0hhez&q=85&s=0857892a1a8b6a0ab1d76ce7870bd8a9" width="737" height="167" data-path="images/usage/tools/dashboard-add-instance.png" />
    </Frame>

    2. Give your instance a name, such as "Production".
    3. \[Optional] You can change the default cloud region from US to EU, JP (Japan), AU (Australia) or BR (Brazil) if desired.
       * Note: Additional cloud regions will be considered on request, especially for customers on our Enterprise plan. Please [contact us](/resources/contact-us) if you need a different region.
    4. Click **Create Instance**.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="CLI">
    Install the [PowerSync CLI](/tools/cli) (requires Node.js/npm), then log in and scaffold the config directory:

    ```bash theme={null}
    npm install -g powersync
    powersync login
    powersync init cloud
    ```

    This creates a `powersync/` directory with `service.yaml` (instance name, region, connection, auth) and `sync-config.yaml` (sync config). Edit `powersync/service.yaml` to set your instance name and region.

    Then create the instance and link the directory to it:

    ```bash theme={null}
    powersync link cloud --create --project-id=<project-id>
    ```

    Find your project ID in the [PowerSync Dashboard](https://dashboard.powersync.com) URL, or run `powersync fetch instances` after logging in.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Configure Your Instance

A new instance needs three things before clients can sync:

1. A connection to your source database. See [Source Database Connection](/configuration/source-db/connection).
2. Client authentication. See [Authentication Setup](/configuration/auth/overview). When getting started, you can use temporary [development tokens](/configuration/auth/development-tokens) instead of setting up a full auth provider.
3. A sync configuration defining what data syncs to which clients, written as [Sync Streams](/sync/streams/overview).

In the Dashboard, each of these has its own view in the instance's sidebar. With the CLI, the database connection and client auth settings live in `service.yaml` and the sync configuration in `sync-config.yaml`; run `powersync deploy` to apply changes.

Other lower-level instance options, such as compacting buckets and deprovisioning, are available in the Dashboard under the instance's Settings view. The CLI has corresponding commands for most of these operations.

For more information, see:

* [PowerSync Dashboard](/tools/powersync-dashboard) documentation
* [PowerSync CLI](/tools/cli) documentation