Gibil vs Raw Cloud VMs
Why not just use the Hetzner/AWS/GCP console directly?
You could create VMs yourself through the Hetzner console or API. Here's why Gibil exists on top of that.
What Gibil automates
| Step | Raw cloud | Gibil |
|---|---|---|
| Generate SSH keys | Manual | Automatic |
| Upload public key | Manual | Automatic |
| Create server | API call or console click | gibil create |
| Wait for boot | Poll or guess | Built-in polling |
| Install Node/Python | SSH in, run commands | cloud-init from .gibil.yml |
| Install Docker | SSH in, run commands | Automatic when services defined |
| Clone repo | SSH in, git clone | --repo flag |
| Start services | SSH in, docker run | .gibil.yml services |
| Run tasks | SSH in manually | gibil run |
| Clean up keys | Manual (often forgotten) | Automatic on destroy |
| Delete server | Console or API call | gibil destroy |
| Auto-destroy on timeout | Not built in | --ttl flag |
| Structured output for agents | Build it yourself | --json on everything |
Time comparison
| Raw cloud | Gibil | |
|---|---|---|
| First server (including setup) | 15-30 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Subsequent servers | 5-10 minutes | 30 seconds |
| Cleanup | 2-5 minutes (if you remember) | gibil destroy |
| Forgotten servers | Surprise bill | TTL auto-destroy |
Cost comparison
Gibil uses Hetzner under the hood — same pricing. The cpx11 VM costs €0.007/hr whether you create it via Gibil or the Hetzner console.
With BYOH ($9/mo), you bring your own Hetzner token. Gibil adds automation, lifecycle management, and agent integration. You pay Hetzner directly for servers.
When to skip Gibil
- You need long-running servers (Gibil is designed for ephemeral workloads)
- You need custom networking (VPCs, load balancers, firewalls)
- You're running production workloads (Gibil is for dev/test/CI)
- You only need one server and plan to keep it forever
Next steps
- Quick Start — see the difference in 5 minutes
- Gibil vs E2B — comparison with sandbox tools