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

# Cloud and self-hosted deployment modes

> Compare Presenton Cloud with the self-hosted open-source AI presentation generator.

Presenton is available as a managed Cloud service and as open-source software you run yourself. Both support the same core prompt-to-presentation journey, but they differ in setup, providers, storage, and API contracts.

The public `presenton/presenton` repository contains the self-hosted web application, Electron desktop packaging, FastAPI backend, Next.js frontend, templates, and deployment tooling. Cloud is a managed product surface and may not expose every repository capability in the same way.

## Compare the operating models

| Decision               | Cloud                     | Self-hosted                                         |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Best when              | You want to start quickly | You need infrastructure, data, and provider control |
| Application operations | Managed by Presenton      | Managed by you                                      |
| AI and media providers | Managed service           | You configure supported providers                   |
| Storage and backups    | Managed service           | Your responsibility                                 |
| User experience        | Browser                   | Browser with Docker, or desktop app                 |
| API                    | Cloud v3                  | Self-hosted v1                                      |
| Updates                | Delivered by Presenton    | You choose and deploy a release                     |
| License                | Managed service terms     | Apache 2.0 open-source code                         |

<Warning>
  Cloud v3 and self-hosted v1 use different base URLs, authentication, and endpoint paths. Treat them as separate integrations.
</Warning>

## Choose Cloud when

* You want to create in a browser without installing or operating Presenton.
* You prefer managed providers, processing, storage, and updates.
* You want the Cloud API for an integration.

## Choose self-hosted when

* Your organization needs to control the runtime, storage, and network boundary.
* You want to select supported text, image, search, or storage providers, including local or OpenAI-compatible providers.
* You need a local desktop workflow or an internally operated API.

<Note>
  Self-hosting alone does not make generation offline. Content may be sent to any external AI, image, or search provider you configure. Use local providers and review every dependency when an offline or restricted-data workflow is required.
</Note>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Start with Cloud" icon="cloud" href="/cloud/quickstart">
    Create a first presentation in the managed application.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plan a self-hosted deployment" icon="server" href="/hosting/overview">
    Review installation, configuration, security, and operations.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>