# Render Scaling

> >-

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-render-oss-skills-render-scaling`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [render-oss](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/render-oss)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [render-oss](https://github.com/render-oss)
- **Source:** https://github.com/render-oss/skills/tree/main/skills/render-scaling

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-render-oss-skills-render-scaling
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Render Scaling

This skill covers how to scale **Web Services**, **Private Services**, and **Background Workers** on Render: manual instance counts, **Professional+** autoscaling, plan (instance type) choices, and platform limits. Deeper tables and tuning guidance live under `references/`.

## When to Use

- Setting or changing **instance count** (Dashboard, CLI, API, or Blueprint)
- Configuring **autoscaling** (min/max, CPU and memory targets)
- Choosing **vertical** (plan) vs **horizontal** (more instances) scaling
- Understanding **constraints** (disks, static sites, cron/workflows, 100-instance cap)
- **Cost** implications of multi-instance and per-second billing
- **Blueprint** fields: `numInstances`, `scaling`, `plan`

## Manual Scaling

- Set **instance count** from **1 to 100** via the **Dashboard**, **CLI**, or **API**.
- **All instances share the same instance type** (plan); you cannot mix plans on one service.
- Changes apply **immediately**: Render **provisions** new instances and **deprovisions** excess capacity as needed.

## Autoscaling

- Available on **Professional and higher** workspaces only.
- Configure **minimum** and **maximum** instances and targets for **CPU** and/or **memory** utilization (**1–90%** each).
- **At least one metric must be enabled** (CPU or memory). If **both** CPU and memory autoscaling toggles are **off**, autoscaling is **disabled**.
- If **both** manual instance settings and autoscaling are configured, **autoscaling wins**—manual count does not override the scaling policy in effect.

## Autoscaling Formula

Render computes a candidate instance count from utilization vs target:

`new_instances = ceil(current_instances * (current_utilization / target_utilization))`

- When **both** CPU and memory targets are set, the platform uses the **larger** of the two `new_instances` values (the more conservative scale-out).

## Scaling Constraints

| Constraint | Behavior |
|------------|----------|
| **Per service** | **Maximum 100** instances |
| **Persistent disk** | **Cannot** scale to multiple instances—**single instance only** |
| **Static sites** | **Not** scalable (served by CDN) |
| **Cron jobs & Workflows** | Scaling model **does not apply** (different execution model) |

## Scale-Down Behavior

- **Scale-up** is **immediate** when utilization supports it.
- **Scale-down** waits **a few minutes** after conditions allow reduction (**spike protection**). This reduces **flapping** from brief load spikes.

## Instance Types

- In Blueprints, the instance type is the **`plan`** field (e.g. `standard`, `pro`).
- Options span **free** / **starter** through **standard**, **pro**, **pro_plus**, **pro_max**, **pro_ultra**—each with defined **CPU** and **RAM** (see `references/instance-types.md`).

### Vertical vs Horizontal

| Need | Approach | When |
|------|----------|------|
| More throughput | **Horizontal** (add instances) | Stateless services, request-based workloads |
| More RAM/CPU per process | **Vertical** (upgrade **plan**) | Memory-intensive or single-threaded apps |
| Both | **Combine** | Right-size plan, then scale out for traffic |

## Cost Patterns

- **Per-second billing**; **no separate fee** for scaling actions.
- You pay roughly for **compute time × number of running instances** (see [Render pricing](https://render.com/pricing) for current rates).
- **Right-size** by monitoring **CPU and memory** utilization (see **render-monitor**).

## Blueprint Configuration

**Manual instance count:**

```yaml
numInstances: 3
```

**Autoscaling:**

```yaml
scaling:
  minInstances: 1
  maxInstances: 10
  targetCPUPercent: 70
  targetMemoryPercent: 80
```

**Instance type (plan):**

```yaml
plan: standard
```

Do not rely on `numInstances` to cap autoscaling when a `scaling` block is present—**autoscaling takes precedence**. Preview behavior for scaling is detailed in `references/autoscaling-guide.md`.

## References

| Topic | File |
|--------|------|
| Plan names, CPU/RAM, flexible vs non-flexible, free tier | `references/instance-types.md` |
| Enabling autoscaling, targets, min/max, mistakes, previews | `references/autoscaling-guide.md` |

## Related Skills

- **render-web-services** — Web Service settings, disks, deploy lifecycle
- **render-background-workers** — Worker-specific configuration and scaling context
- **render-blueprints** — Full Blueprint schema and field reference
- **render-monitor** — Metrics, logs, and utilization for right-sizing

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [render-oss](https://github.com/render-oss)
- **Source:** [render-oss/skills](https://github.com/render-oss/skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-render-oss-skills-render-scaling
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/render-oss
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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