# Deployment Comparison

Arcology Network utilizes an event-driven, microservice-based design to fully leverage available computational resources, offering an optimal balance between performance and cost efficiency. A key benefit of this design is the flexibility it provides when deploying a node.

Arcology offers multiple deployment options. Since they are <mark style="color:green;">functionally identical,</mark> the choice depends entirely on your specific needs and performance goals. The key takeaway is that <mark style="color:green;">more resources always mean better performance</mark>. Below is a list of possible deployment options:

<table><thead><tr><th width="157">Option</th><th width="119">Complexity</th><th width="194">Throughput</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Docker Image</td><td><mark style="color:green;">Low</mark></td><td>5% ~ 10% slower than the standalone</td><td>Everything in an all-in-one  docker image</td></tr><tr><td>Standalone</td><td><mark style="color:yellow;">Medium</mark></td><td>High</td><td>Deploy on a physical machine</td></tr><tr><td>Server Cluster</td><td><mark style="color:red;">High</mark></td><td>Highest</td><td>Deploy on a server cluster to distribute the workload.</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
Of the available options, the Docker Image option is always recommended for beginners.
{% endhint %}

***

### Selection <a href="#cluster-mode" id="cluster-mode"></a>

For developers, an Arcology Docker image is the best choice. For more advanced users who want to delve deeper into Arcology, the Standalone option is recommended. The cluster option is primarily reserved for benchmarking and mainnet node operators.


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