> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.risingwave.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deployment options

> Choose a RisingWave deployment mode: standalone, Docker Compose, Kubernetes/Helm for production, or fully managed RisingWave Cloud.

RisingWave supports multiple deployment modes, each designed for different use cases and environments. This guide helps you choose the right option quickly.

## How to choose (quick checklist)

* **Just want to try RisingWave locally?** Use **Standalone mode**.
* **Need production reliability with minimal ops?** Use **[RisingWave Cloud](/deploy/risingwave-cloud)**.

## Quick comparison

| Deployment option                                 | Time to deploy | Production use?   | Best for                                              | Documentation                                          |
| ------------------------------------------------- | -------------: | ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Standalone mode** (Script, Docker, or Homebrew) |   \< 5 minutes | No                | Learning, development, quick experiments              | [Standalone mode](/operate/rw-standalone-mode)         |
| **RisingWave Cloud**                              |   \< 5 minutes | Yes               | Managed production deployments                        | [RisingWave Cloud](/deploy/risingwave-cloud)           |
| **Docker Compose**                                |   \< 5 minutes | No (testing only) | Local testing with bundled services                   | [Docker Compose](/deploy/risingwave-docker-compose)    |
| **Kubernetes (Helm)**                             |   \~30 minutes | Yes               | Self-managed production deployments (simpler)         | [Kubernetes (Helm)](/deploy/risingwave-k8s-helm)       |
| **Kubernetes (Operator)**                         |   \~30 minutes | Yes               | Self-managed production deployments (more automation) | [Kubernetes (Operator)](/deploy/risingwave-kubernetes) |

## Recommendations

### Quick start and development

**Recommended: Standalone mode**

Best for learning, development, and quick testing. It runs as a single process and gets you started in minutes.

[Learn more →](/operate/rw-standalone-mode)

### Production environments

**Recommended: RisingWave Cloud** (managed) or **Kubernetes** (self-managed)

* **RisingWave Cloud**: Fully managed. Best when you want production reliability without infrastructure management.
* **Kubernetes**: Self-managed. Best when you need full control and already operate Kubernetes in production.

[RisingWave Cloud →](/deploy/risingwave-cloud) · [Kubernetes (Helm) →](/deploy/risingwave-k8s-helm) · [Kubernetes (Operator) →](/deploy/risingwave-kubernetes)

### Testing and single-machine deployment

**Recommended: Docker Compose**

Easy setup for local testing with multiple services. Not recommended for production.

[Learn more →](/deploy/risingwave-docker-compose)

## See also

* [Quick start](/get-started/quickstart) — Get RisingWave running in minutes
* [What is RisingWave?](/get-started/intro) — Core concepts and architecture
* [RisingWave Cloud](/cloud/intro) — Fully managed cloud service
* [Hardware requirements](/deploy/hardware-requirements) — Sizing guidelines