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

# Which to use?

> Choose the right service type for your application

# Which to use?

Select the right Antryk service type based on your application's needs. Each service type is optimized for different use cases and deployment patterns.

## Quick Decision Guide

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Web Services" icon="server" href="/services/web-services">
    **Backend APIs, microservices, webhooks**

    • REST APIs and GraphQL endpoints
    • Long-running connections
    • Database connections
    • High throughput
  </Card>

  <Card title="Static Sites" icon="globe" href="/services/static-sites">
    **Frontend applications, marketing sites**

    • React, Vue, Angular apps
    • Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit
    • SSR and ISR support
    • Global CDN
  </Card>

  <Card title="Background Workers" icon="workflow" href="/services/background-workers">
    **Async processing, queue workers**

    • Process queues
    • Async tasks
    • Batch operations
    • Scheduled jobs
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cron Jobs" icon="clock" href="/services/cron-jobs">
    **Scheduled tasks, periodic operations**

    • Daily backups
    • Data cleanup
    • Reports
    • Scheduled workflows
  </Card>

  <Card title="Serverless Functions" icon="bolt" href="/services/serverless-functions">
    **Event-driven, API endpoints**

    • HTTP endpoints
    • Webhook handlers
    • Low-traffic APIs
    • Pay-per-execution
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Detailed Comparison

### Web Services

**Best for:**

* Backend APIs and microservices
* Webhooks and real-time processing
* Applications requiring persistent connections
* High-throughput services
* Database connections and connection pooling

**Characteristics:**

* Continuous operation
* Autoscaling based on CPU/memory
* Health checks and automatic recovery
* Custom domains with SSL
* Environment variables

**Example use cases:**

* REST API server
* GraphQL endpoint
* Webhook receiver
* Long-running services
* API gateway

<Card title="Get Started" icon="rocket" href="/services/web-services">
  Deploy a web service
</Card>

### Static Sites

**Best for:**

* Frontend applications
* Marketing and landing pages
* Documentation sites
* JAMstack applications
* Static content with CDN

**Characteristics:**

* Pre-rendered content
* Global CDN distribution
* SSR and ISR support
* Automatic deployments
* Preview environments

**Example use cases:**

* React/Vue/Angular app
* Next.js application
* Blog or documentation
* Marketing website
* Portfolio site

<Card title="Get Started" icon="rocket" href="/services/static-sites">
  Deploy a static site
</Card>

### Background Workers

**Best for:**

* Processing message queues
* Async task execution
* Batch operations
* Data synchronization
* Long-running background jobs

**Characteristics:**

* Queue-based processing
* Auto-scaling workers
* Retry logic and error handling
* Cost-efficient for async workloads
* Monitoring and metrics

**Example use cases:**

* Email sending
* Image processing
* Payment processing
* Data ETL jobs
* Report generation

<Card title="Get Started" icon="rocket" href="/services/background-workers">
  Deploy a background worker
</Card>

### Cron Jobs

**Best for:**

* Scheduled tasks
* Periodic data operations
* Automated workflows
* Cleanup and maintenance
* Time-based triggers

**Characteristics:**

* Cron-based scheduling
* Serverless execution
* Pay-per-execution pricing
* Automatic retries
* Execution history

**Example use cases:**

* Daily database backups
* Periodic data cleanup
* Scheduled reports
* Health checks
* Cache warming

<Card title="Get Started" icon="rocket" href="/services/cron-jobs">
  Deploy a cron job
</Card>

### Serverless Functions

**Best for:**

* Event-driven workloads
* HTTP endpoints
* Webhook handlers
* Low-traffic APIs
* Cost-optimized services

**Characteristics:**

* Pay-per-execution pricing
* Auto-scaling from zero
* Event triggers
* Fast cold starts
* Built-in timeout

**Example use cases:**

* Webhook endpoint
* Form submission handler
* API proxy
* Event processor
* Micro-function

<Card title="Get Started" icon="rocket" href="/services/serverless-functions">
  Deploy a serverless function
</Card>

## Choosing by Use Case

### Building a Full-Stack Application

**Frontend:** Static Site\
**Backend:** Web Service\
**Database:** PostgreSQL or MongoDB\
**Background Jobs:** Background Workers\
**Scheduled Tasks:** Cron Jobs

### API Development

**Primary API:** Web Service\
**Webhooks:** Serverless Functions\
**Background Processing:** Background Workers\
**Database:** PostgreSQL

### Content Website

**Frontend:** Static Site\
**CMS Backend:** Web Service\
**Storage:** Storage Buckets\
**Database:** PostgreSQL or MongoDB

### Real-Time Processing

**Processing Service:** Web Service\
**Queue:** Redis\
**Workers:** Background Workers\
**Monitoring:** Metrics & Logs

## Migration Guide

### From Heroku

| Heroku Type   | Antryk Equivalent |
| ------------- | ----------------- |
| Web Dyno      | Web Service       |
| Worker Dyno   | Background Worker |
| Clock Process | Cron Job          |
| Static Site   | Static Site       |

### From AWS

| AWS Service       | Antryk Equivalent    |
| ----------------- | -------------------- |
| EC2 Instance      | Web Service or Pod   |
| Lambda            | Serverless Functions |
| ECS Task          | Web Service          |
| CloudWatch Events | Cron Jobs            |
| S3 Website        | Static Site          |

### From Vercel

| Vercel Type         | Antryk Equivalent    |
| ------------------- | -------------------- |
| Serverless Function | Serverless Functions |
| Static Site         | Static Site          |
| Edge Function       | Serverless Functions |

## Still Unsure?

If you're not sure which service type to use:

1. **Start with Web Services** for most backend applications
2. **Use Static Sites** for frontend deployment
3. **Consider your traffic pattern** - constant vs. sporadic
4. **Think about scaling needs** - autoscaling vs. fixed instances
5. **Review pricing models** - pay-per-second vs. pay-per-execution

<Card title="Contact Support" icon="envelope" href="mailto:support@antryk.com">
  Get help choosing the right service
</Card>