Introduction

What is Archipelag.io and how does it work?

Introduction to Archipelag.io

Archipelag.io (pronounced archipelago) is a distributed compute network that connects consumers who need computing power with Islands that have spare capacity. The name evokes an archipelago — a network of independent islands working together. Think of it as a decentralized cloud where anyone can contribute resources and earn, while developers get access to affordable, low-latency compute.

What Makes Us Different

Local-First Computing

Unlike traditional clouds with centralized data centers, Archipelag.io routes your jobs to nearby hosts. This means lower latency, better performance, and a more sustainable computing model.

Key Benefits

For Consumers	For Islands
Lower latency	Monetize idle hardware
Transparent pricing	Flexible participation
No vendor lock-in	Simple setup
AI-ready infrastructure	Reputation-based earnings

How It Works

### Create an Account Sign up at [archipelag.io](https://archipelag.io) and add credits to your account. We accept all major payment methods. ### Submit Jobs Use our API, SDK, or web interface to submit compute jobs. For AI inference, this could be as simple as a chat message or image generation prompt. ### Get Results Your job is automatically routed to the best available Island. Results stream back in real-time, with full transparency on costs.

Core Concepts

Understanding these concepts will help you make the most of Archipelag.io:

{% card(title="Consumers", href="/getting-started/for-users/") %} Consume compute resources for AI inference, rendering, and more.

Islands

Contribute GPU or CPU resources to the network and earn credits.

Cargos

Signed workload containers that run on Islands.

Cargo Registry

Browse verified Cargos with transparent trust levels.

Karma

Reputation system that ensures network quality and fair compensation.

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Architecture Overview

┌─────────────┐         ┌─────────────────┐         ┌─────────────┐
│  Consumer   │   API   │   Coordinator   │  NATS   │   Island    │
│  (Browser)  │ ──────► │   (Phoenix)     │ ──────► │  (Island)   │
└─────────────┘         └─────────────────┘         └─────────────┘
                               │
                               │ PostgreSQL
                               ▼
                        ┌─────────────┐
                        │  Database   │
                        └─────────────┘

The Coordinator is the control plane that handles:

User authentication and billing
Job placement and dispatch
Island health monitoring
Real-time streaming of results

The Island software runs on Islands and:

Reports hardware capabilities
Pulls and executes approved Cargos
Streams output back to consumers
Tracks resource usage for billing

What Can You Build?

{% tab(name="AI Chat") %} Build conversational AI applications with streaming responses: ```python from archipelag import Client client = Client() # reads ARCHIPELAG_API_KEY from env for event in client.chat_stream("Hello!"): if event.type == "token": print(event.content, end="") ```

Generate images with Stable Diffusion or FLUX: ```python result = client.chat( "A sunset over mountains", workload="image-gen", ) ```

Use existing OpenAI SDK code with just a base URL change: ```python from openai import OpenAI client = OpenAI( base_url="https://api.archipelag.io/api/v1", api_key="your-key", ) response = client.chat.completions.create( model="llm-chat", messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}], ) ```

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Next Steps

Ready to get started? Choose your path:

{% card(title="Quickstart (2 min)", href="/getting-started/quickstart/") %} Go from zero to working API call with curl, Python, or Node.js.

User Guide

Models, pricing, error handling, and best practices.

Island Setup Guide

Set up your machine as an Island to earn by running Cargos.

API Reference

Explore the full API documentation.

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