> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.carto.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.carto.com/carto-self-hosted/planning.md).

# Plan Your Deployment

Plan your CARTO Self-Hosted deployment before you install

Before deploying CARTO Self-Hosted, assess your requirements and make key decisions. This section guides you through everything you need to have in place before starting an installation.

{% hint style="info" %}
New to CARTO Self-Hosted? Start with [Getting Started](/carto-self-hosted/getting-started.md) for architecture diagrams, the responsibility matrix, and a glossary of key terms.
{% endhint %}

**Knowledge required:** Familiarity with your own environment — a cloud provider such as GCP, AWS, or Azure, a sovereign or regional cloud, or on-premises infrastructure — plus Kubernetes basics (for K8s deployments) and Linux system administration.

## In this section

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Deployment Methods</strong></td><td>Understand the Single Virtual Machine, Standard Orchestrated, and Advanced Orchestrated deployment methods, and decide which fits your team and environment.</td><td><a href="/carto-self-hosted/planning/deployment-methods.md">Deployment Methods</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Prerequisites &#x26; Checklists</strong></td><td>Hardware, software, database, storage, and network requirements — with topic-specific checklists.</td><td><a href="/carto-self-hosted/planning/prerequisites.md">Prerequisites &amp; Checklists</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Compliance &#x26; Security</strong></td><td>Security considerations and compliance frameworks relevant to self-hosted deployments.</td><td><a href="/carto-self-hosted/planning/compliance-and-security.md">Compliance and Security</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://docs.carto.com/carto-self-hosted/planning.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
