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

# Provide capacity

> Run a node, connect capacity to a subnet, and manage provider fleets.

Use Provide when you want one of your machines to supply compute capacity to
IDYL. A machine joins IDYL as a node. The node has a local identity, belongs to
your account, records its local realm, and can provide capacity through a fleet
or directly to a subnet. You can set local resource limits before joining so
IDYL uses only the CPU, memory, disk, and GPU capacity you choose to make
available.

The immutable node ID remains the canonical identifier. You can add an optional
account-owned display name to help people recognize the node while keeping its
full ID visible.

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Connect a node" href="/provide/connect-a-node">
    Install IDYL, join this machine as a node, and start the node service.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configure a node" href="/provide/configure-a-node">
    Choose runtime profiles, contribution limits, and runtime readiness checks.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manage fleets" href="/provide/manage-fleets">
    Create fleets and use them to admit groups of nodes to subnets.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Run the node service" href="/provide/run-locally">
    Manage the local service after a node has already joined.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Inspect nodes" href="/operate/inspect-nodes">
    Confirm that connected capacity is visible from the subnet.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## How providing works

You can connect a node in two ways:

| Path               | Use it when                                                 |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Fleet join         | The node should be part of an account-owned provider fleet. |
| Direct subnet join | This one node should be admitted directly to a subnet.      |

Fleet joins are the normal path for repeatable provider capacity. Direct subnet
joins are useful when a subnet operator wants to admit one specific machine.

## Provider flow

1. [Connect a node](/provide/connect-a-node) from the machine that will provide capacity.
2. [Configure a node](/provide/configure-a-node) when you need to choose runtime profiles, contribution limits, or microVM settings before joining.
3. [Inspect nodes](/operate/inspect-nodes) to confirm the node is visible after admission.
4. [Manage fleets](/provide/manage-fleets) when capacity should be admitted as a group.
5. [Run the node service](/provide/run-locally) when you need service lifecycle commands after joining.

For exact flags, use the [command reference](/cli/reference/generated).