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Choose a one-click deployment if you want the provider to prepare the server image; choose manual SSH installation if you want more direct control over setup and are willing to maintain the host. One-click describes how the server is provisioned, not necessarily a setup with no terminal work: a documented OpenCode deployment still requires SSH access, an API key, and a setup wizard.
What “one-click” and “manual SSH” actually mean
One-click: a prepared server image
A one-click app is software installed and configured in a provider-prepared server image. DigitalOcean says its 1-Click Apps are intended to minimize setup requirements (DigitalOcean Marketplace Droplet 1-Click Apps). You start from the prepared image instead of building the app environment from scratch.
The term does not mean that every step of running the app is automated. You may still need to connect to the server, supply credentials, complete a wizard, check that the service works, and follow the app’s update procedure.
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With manual SSH installation, you connect to a server and carry out the app’s installation and configuration steps yourself. That offers more direct control over choices made during setup, but the exact commands and requirements depend on the app and hosting provider. There is no single universal manual procedure.
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How the two approaches compare
| Decision point | One-click image | Manual SSH installation |
|---|---|---|
| Initial setup | The provider supplies a prepared image with software and settings in place. | You install and configure the app on the server using its documented instructions. |
| Terminal work | May still be needed after provisioning. The documented OpenCode setup uses SSH. | The shell is central to the installation and configuration workflow. |
| Configuration control | Prepared defaults reduce work, but you should check the app’s configuration instructions. | You make more of the installation choices directly. |
| Ongoing administration | You remain responsible for credentials, service behavior, and the app’s documented update process. | You remain responsible for the app’s configuration and documented upgrade process. |
| Host security | A prepared image does not remove the need to secure server access. | Manual installation does not make the server inherently safer; host security still matters. |
What a real one-click setup can still require
DigitalOcean’s OpenCode 1-Click instructions illustrate why it helps to read the app-specific directions before choosing. After provisioning, the documented flow asks you to add an SSH key, connect to the server, and complete a setup wizard. It also explains how to configure model access with a key and update the app (DigitalOcean OpenCode).
That listing says SSH is the only exposed port and that the app has no web interface. Those details apply to this specific OpenCode listing, not to all AI apps or marketplace images. Check the listing for the app you intend to deploy to see what ports, credentials, and follow-up steps it requires.
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Marketplace options also vary by provider and product. DigitalOcean describes 1-Click Models as a way to deploy third-party generative AI models on GPU Droplets without additional setup or configuration (DigitalOcean Marketplace). That is a specific offering; it does not mean every AI app can be launched without configuration.
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Which installation route fits your situation?
Choose one-click when reducing initial setup is your priority
- You prefer a provider-prepared image over installing the application environment yourself.
- You are comfortable following the app’s remaining setup steps, including SSH or credential configuration if required.
- You have checked how the app is updated and are prepared to handle its ongoing administration.
Choose manual SSH when you want more direct setup control
- You want to make installation or configuration choices yourself rather than rely on the image’s defaults.
- You are comfortable working in a shell and following the app’s own installation and upgrade instructions.
- You are prepared to maintain both the app and its server configuration.
Neither approach is universally cheaper, faster, more reliable, or safer. Those outcomes depend on the specific app, provider, and configuration; the available documentation does not establish a general winner on those measures.
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Secure the server whichever method you use
DigitalOcean’s production Droplet guidance recommends key-based SSH access for a sudo-capable non-root user, avoiding password-based root access, and using a cloud firewall to restrict SSH (DigitalOcean: Set up a Production-Ready Droplet). These are DigitalOcean recommendations for Droplets, not a complete security review or universal instructions for every hosting provider. A prebuilt image does not replace the work of securing server access.
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