# Create a Kafka Cluster
Create an Apache Kafka® cluster in Confluent Cloud to start streaming. Confluent Cloud clusters are
fully managed: you choose a [cluster type](cluster-types.md#cloud-cluster-types) and a
[cloud provider and region](../get-started/regions.md#providers-regions), and Confluent handles
provisioning, scaling, and [fault tolerance](resilience.md#cloud-resilience).
You can create clusters using the
[Confluent Cloud Console](#cloud-create-cluster-console-walkthrough),
[Confluent CLI](#cloud-create-cluster-cli-walkthrough), and
[REST API](#cloud-create-cluster-restapi-walkthrough). For a description
of cluster types, service level agreements (SLA), and resource quotas for
clusters, see [Kafka Cluster Types in Confluent Cloud](cluster-types.md#cloud-cluster-types) and [Service Quotas for Confluent Cloud](../quotas/service-quotas.md#ccloud-resource-limits).
Prerequisites:
- Operator or administrator access to a Confluent Cloud environment.
- For Freight clusters, you must contact Confluent and work with the
sales team to determine a maximum eCKU for your cluster before you provision.
Considerations:
- Cloud provider and region cannot be changed after provisioning a cluster.
- To meet data residency and sovereignty requirements, data produced to a topic
through Kafka stays within the geographic region you select. For more
information, see the [Confluent Cloud Security
Controls](https://assets.confluent.io/m/67f93edfe1a9f524/original/20200805-WP-Confluent_Cloud_Security_Controls.pdf)
whitepaper (PDF).
- For Dedicated clusters, the number of
[Confluent Unit for Kafka (CKU)](../_glossary.md#term-Confluent-Unit-for-Kafka-CKU) determines the cluster’s capacity. You
can manage CKUs after provisioning. For more information, see
[Fixed limits and recommended guidelines](cluster-types.md#cku-details) and [Update Kafka clusters](update-cluster.md#cloud-cluster-update-api).
- Cluster name (`display_name`) is a friendly name with the following
requirements:
- Use 64 characters or less
- Use whitespace, Unicode letters, numbers, and the following special
characters: period (`.`), comma (`,`), ampersand (`&`), underscore
(`_`), plus (`+`), bar (`|`), open square bracket (`[`), close
square bracket (`]`), slash (`/`), dash (`-`)
## Cloud Console
Navigate to the clusters page for your environment. If this is your first
cluster, click **Create cluster on my own**. If this isn’t your first cluster,
click **+ Add cluster**. The **Create cluster** page opens with a single form;
the sections that appear depend on the cluster type you choose in
**Cluster type**.
| Cluster type | Setup options |
|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Basic | Cluster name, Provider and region |
| Standard | Cluster name, Provider and region, Uptime SLA |
| Enterprise | Cluster name, Provider and region, Uptime SLA, Networking, Encryption key management |
| Freight | Cluster name, Provider and region, Networking, Encryption key management |
| Dedicated | Cluster name, Select CKUs, Provider and region, Uptime SLA, Networking, Encryption key management |
1. Specify **Cluster name**.
2. Under **Cluster type**, select Basic, Standard,
Enterprise, Freight, or Dedicated.
3. For Dedicated clusters, under **Select CKUs**, use the slider or
enter a value to set the cluster size. Multi-zone availability requires
two CKUs.
4. Under **Provider and region**, select a cloud provider tile and a
**Region**.
5. For Standard, Enterprise, or Dedicated
clusters, under **Uptime SLA**, select an SLA option.
6. For Enterprise, Freight, and Dedicated clusters,
a **Networking** section appears:
- For Enterprise and Freight clusters, select the
checkbox to configure networking later, or click
**Create new network** to configure a private network now.
- Dedicated clusters require you to select a network type
(**PrivateLink**, **VPC Peering**, or **Transit Gateway**, depending on
provider) and either use an existing network or create a new one.
To create a new private network:
1. Select your provider’s networking mechanism:
- AWS: Transit Gateway, VPC Peering, or PrivateLink. For
Enterprise and Freight clusters, Private Network Interface is
also available.
- Azure: Private Link or VNet Peering
- Google Cloud: VPC Peering or Private Service Connect
2. Choose **Create new** and enter a **Network name**.
3. If required for your mechanism, select your zones.
4. Depending on your provider and mechanism, enter a CIDR block in
**CIDR for Confluent Cloud Network**, or select
**Private DNS resolution** to resolve your cluster endpoints using
a private DNS zone:
| Provider | Mechanism | Zones | CIDR block | Private DNS resolution |
|--------------|-------------------------|----------------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| AWS | VPC Peering | Required | Required | Not supported |
| AWS | Transit Gateway | Required | Required | Not supported |
| AWS | PrivateLink | Required | Not applicable | Optional; otherwise public DNS resolution is used |
| Azure | Private Link | Not applicable | Not applicable | Optional; otherwise public DNS resolution is used |
| Azure | VNet Peering | Not applicable | Required | Not supported |
| Google Cloud | VPC Peering | Required | Required | Not supported |
| Google Cloud | Private Service Connect | Required | Not applicable | Optional; otherwise public DNS resolution is used |
For more information, see the reference for your provider and mechanism:
- For AWS PrivateLink, see [Use AWS PrivateLink for Serverless Products on Confluent Cloud](../networking/aws-platt.md#cloud-networking-privatelink-aws-esku)
- For AWS Private Network Interface, see
[Use Private Network Interface on Confluent Cloud](../networking/aws-pni.md#cloud-networking-pni-aws)
- For Azure Private Link, see
[Use Azure Private Link for Serverless Products on Confluent Cloud](../networking/azure-platt.md#cloud-networking-privatelink-azure-esku)
- For Google Cloud Private Service Connect, see
[Use Google Cloud Private Service Connect for Serverless Products on Confluent Cloud](../networking/gcp-platt.md#cloud-networking-privatelink-gc-esku)
- For all mechanisms, see [Manage Networking on Confluent Cloud](../networking/overview.md#cloud-networking)
7. For Enterprise, Freight, or Dedicated
clusters, an **Encryption key management** section appears. Accept
the default cloud-provider managed key, or, with the Advanced
Security add-on enabled, select **Self managed key**.
If you select **Self managed key**, follow the on-screen steps to
register your key. For more information, see
[Protect Data at Rest Using Self-Managed Encryption Keys on Confluent Cloud](../security/encrypt/byok/overview.md#byok-encrypted-clusters).
8. Review the cost estimate and **Summary** panel, then click
**Launch cluster**.
### Basic and Standard
### Enterprise
### Freight
### Dedicated
If you haven’t set up a payment method, add one or enter a promotional
code before you can launch the cluster.
## Confluent CLI
To create a cluster using the CLI, run the following command in your terminal:
```none
confluent kafka cluster create [flags]
```
For example:
```none
confluent kafka cluster create my_new_cluster --cloud "aws" --region "us-west-2"
```
Your output should resemble:
```text
It may take up to 5 minutes for the Kafka cluster to be ready.
+----------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Current | false |
| ID | lkc-123exa |
| Name | my_new_cluster |
| Type | BASIC |
| Ingress Limit (MB/s) | 250 |
| Egress Limit (MB/s) | 750 |
| Storage | 5 TB |
| Cloud | aws |
| Region | us-west-2 |
| Availability | single-zone |
| Status | PROVISIONING |
| Endpoint | SASL_SSL://pkc-exa45.us-west-2.aws.confluent.cloud:9092 |
| REST Endpoint | https://pkc-exa45.us-west-2.aws.confluent.cloud:443 |
+----------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
```
## Confluent Cloud APIs
API requests must include an authorization header with an API key and
secret. For more information, see [Authentication](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/api.html/#authentication) in the
Confluent Cloud API reference.
To create a cluster, make a `POST` request with a JSON payload that
specifies the requirements.
```text
POST /cmk/v2/clusters
```
### Request
This request structure applies to all cluster types. When you make the
request, include a JSON payload that contains a `spec` object with the
following:
| Parameter | Required or Optional | Description |
|----------------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `display_name` | Required | The display name of the cluster. |
| `availability` | Required | - For Dedicated clusters: `SINGLE_ZONE` or `MULTI_ZONE` - For Basic, Standard, or Enterprise clusters in organizations created on or after April 16, 2024: `Low` (99.5%/99.9%) or `High` (99.99%) - For Basic, Standard, or Enterprise clusters in organizations created before April 16, 2024: `SINGLE_ZONE` or `MULTI_ZONE` |
| `cloud` | Required | `GCP`, `AZURE` or `AWS` |
| `region` | Required | A valid region for the cloud provider. |
| `config` | Required | Object that contains the cluster type: `kind`: `Basic`, `Standard`, `Enterprise`, `Dedicated`, or `Freight`.
For Dedicated clusters, you must also specify a `cku` integer value, and you can specify an optional `encryption_key` for BYOK clusters.
Clusters can be upgraded from Basic to Standard, but cannot be downgraded from Standard to Basic. |
| `environment` | Required | Object that contains the environment identifier: `id`: `env-abc123`. |
| `network` | Required for private network | Object that contains the network identifier: `id`: `n-12345` and related environment name. To create a Dedicated cluster in a private network, first create the network, then specify that network when you create the cluster. |
#### Request examples by cluster type
### Example request for Basic and Standard clusters
```text
POST /cmk/v2/clusters HTTP/1.1
Host: api.confluent.cloud
{
"spec":{
"display_name":"ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability":"Low",
"cloud":"GCP",
"region":"us-east4",
"config":{
"kind":"Basic"
},
"environment":{
"id":"env-a12b34"
}
}
}
```
### Example request for Enterprise clusters in a private network
```text
POST /cmk/v2/clusters HTTP/1.1
Host: api.confluent.cloud
{
"spec":{
"display_name":"ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability":"High",
"cloud":"AWS",
"region":"us-east-1",
"config":{
"kind":"Enterprise"
},
"environment":{
"id":"env-a12b34"
},
"network":{
"id":"n-12345",
"environment": "env-a12b34"
}
}
}
```
### Example requests for Dedicated clusters
On a secure public endpoint, specifying the number of CKUs in the
`config` element:
```text
POST /cmk/v2/clusters HTTP/1.1
Host: api.confluent.cloud
{
"spec":{
"display_name":"ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability":"SINGLE_ZONE",
"cloud":"GCP",
"region":"us-east4",
"config":{
"kind":"Dedicated",
"cku": 2
},
"environment":{
"id":"env-a12b34"
}
}
}
```
On a private network, specifying the network in the `network` element:
```text
POST /cmk/v2/clusters HTTP/1.1
Host: api.confluent.cloud
{
"spec":{
"display_name":"ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability":"SINGLE_ZONE",
"cloud":"GCP",
"region":"us-east4",
"config":{
"kind":"Dedicated",
"cku": 2
},
"environment":{
"id":"env-a12b34"
},
"network":{
"id":"n-12345",
"environment": "env-a12b34"
}
}
}
```
### Response
This response structure applies to all cluster types. Successful calls
return HTTP `202 ACCEPTED` with a JSON payload that describes the cluster.
Responses include the following:
- The cloud provider (`AWS`, `GCP`, `AZURE`) and region for the cluster.
- The cluster status (`PROVISIONED`, `PROVISIONING`, `FAILED`) and
`kind` (Basic, Standard, Enterprise, Dedicated, and Freight).
- Information about the environment that contains the cluster.
- For Dedicated clusters, the number of CKUs allocated to the cluster.
#### Response examples by cluster type
### Example response for Basic and Standard clusters
```text
HTTP/1.1 202 ACCEPTED
Content-Type: application/json
{
"api_version": "cmk/v2",
"id": "abc-f3a90de",
"kind": "Cluster",
"metadata": {
"created_at": "2022-04-22T20:45:26.657894Z",
"self": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/kafka-clusters/abc-f3a90de",
"resource_name": "crn://confluent.cloud/kafka=abc-f3a90de",
"updated_at": "2022-04-22T20:45:26.659364Z"
},
"spec": {
"display_name": "ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability": "Low",
"cloud": "GCP",
"region": "us-east4",
"config": {
"kind": "Basic"
},
"kafka_bootstrap_endpoint": "abc-00000-00000.us-east4.gcp.glb.confluent.cloud:9092",
"http_endpoint": "https://abc-00000-00000.us-east4.gcp.glb.confluent.cloud",
"environment": {
"api_version": "org/v2",
"id": "env-a12b34",
"kind":"Environment",
"related": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/environments/env-a12b34",
"resource_name": "crn://confluent.cloud/organization=1234abcd-edef-46ac-8a41-c49e44a3fd9a/environment=env-a12b34"
}
},
"status": {
"phase": "PROVISIONING"
}
}
```
### Example response for Enterprise clusters in a private network
```text
HTTP/1.1 202 ACCEPTED
Content-Type: application/json
{
"api_version": "cmk/v2",
"kind": "Cluster",
"id": "abc-f3a90de",
"metadata": {
"self": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/kafka-clusters/abc-f3a90de",
"resource_name": "crn://confluent.cloud/kafka=abc-f3a90de",
"created_at": "2023-06-22T20:45:26.657894Z",
"updated_at": "2023-06-22T21:13:55.742641944Z"
},
"spec": {
"display_name": "ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability": "High",
"cloud": "AWS",
"region": "us-east-1",
"config": {
"kind": "Enterprise"
},
"kafka_bootstrap_endpoint": "abc-00000-00000.us-east-1.aws.glb.confluent.cloud:9092",
"http_endpoint": "https://abc-00000-00000.us-east-1.aws.glb.confluent.cloud",
"environment": {
"api_version": "org/v2",
"id": "env-a12b34",
"kind":"Environment",
"related": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/environments/env-a12b34",
"resource_name": "https://api.confluent.cloud/organization=abcd41c4-edef-46ac-8a41-c49e44a3fd9a/environment=env-a12b34"
},
"network": {
"id": "n-00000",
"environment": "env-a12b34",
"related": "https://api.confluent.cloud/networking/v1/networks/n-00000",
"resource_name": "https://api.confluent.cloud/organization=abcd41c4-edef-46ac-8a41-c49e44a3fd9a/network=n-00000",
"api_version": "networking/v1",
"kind": "Network"
}
},
"status": {
"phase": "PROVISIONING"
}
}
```
### Example responses for Dedicated clusters
On a secure public endpoint:
```text
HTTP/1.1 202 ACCEPTED
Content-Type: application/json
{
"api_version": "cmk/v2",
"kind": "Cluster",
"id": "abc-f3a90de",
"metadata": {
"self": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/kafka-clusters/abc-f3a90de",
"resource_name": "crn://confluent.cloud/kafka=abc-f3a90de",
"created_at": "2022-04-22T20:45:26.657894Z",
"updated_at": "2022-04-22T21:13:55.742641944Z"
},
"spec": {
"display_name": "ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability": "SINGLE_ZONE",
"cloud": "GCP",
"region": "us-east4",
"config": {
"kind": "Dedicated",
"cku": 2
},
"kafka_bootstrap_endpoint": "abc-00000-00000.us-east4.gcp.glb.confluent.cloud:9092",
"http_endpoint": "https://abc-00000-00000.us-east4.gcp.glb.confluent.cloud",
"environment": {
"api_version": "org/v2",
"id": "env-a12b34",
"kind":"Environment",
"related": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/environments/env-a12b34",
"resource_name": "crn://confluent.cloud/organization=1234abcd-edef-46ac-8a41-c49e44a3fd9a/environment=env-a12b34"
}
},
"status": {
"phase": "PROVISIONING",
"cku": 2
}
}
```
In a private network:
```text
HTTP/1.1 202 ACCEPTED
Content-Type: application/json
{
"api_version": "cmk/v2",
"kind": "Cluster",
"id": "abc-f3a90de",
"metadata": {
"self": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/kafka-clusters/abc-f3a90de",
"resource_name": "crn://confluent.cloud/kafka=abc-f3a90de",
"created_at": "2022-04-22T20:45:26.657894Z",
"updated_at": "2022-04-22T21:13:55.742641944Z"
},
"spec": {
"display_name": "ProdKafkaCluster",
"availability": "SINGLE_ZONE",
"cloud": "GCP",
"region": "us-east4",
"config": {
"kind": "Dedicated",
"cku": 2
},
"kafka_bootstrap_endpoint": "abc-00000-00000.us-east4.gcp.glb.confluent.cloud:9092",
"http_endpoint": "https://abc-00000-00000.us-east4.gcp.glb.confluent.cloud",
"environment": {
"api_version": "org/v2",
"id": "env-a12b34",
"kind":"Environment",
"related": "https://api.confluent.cloud/v2/environments/env-a12b34",
"resource_name": "https://api.confluent.cloud/organization=abcd41c4-edef-46ac-8a41-c49e44a3fd9a/environment=env-a12b34"
},
"network": {
"id": "n-00000",
"environment": "env-a12b34",
"related": "https://api.confluent.cloud/networking/v1/networks/n-00000",
"resource_name": "https://api.confluent.cloud/organization=abcd41c4-edef-46ac-8a41-c49e44a3fd9a/network=n-00000",
"api_version": "networking/v1",
"kind": "Network"
}
},
"status": {
"phase": "PROVISIONING",
"cku": 2
}
}
```
## Terraform
To create a cluster using the Confluent Terraform provider, see
[confluent_kafka_cluster Resource](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/confluentinc/confluent/latest/docs/resources/confluent_kafka_cluster).
## Related content
- To create topics and produce and consume data, see [Quick Start for Confluent Cloud](../get-started/index.md#cloud-quickstart)
- For the CLI command reference, see [confluent kafka
cluster](https://docs.confluent.io/confluent-cli/current/command-reference/kafka/cluster/index.html)
- For the API reference, see [Cluster API reference](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/ccloud/clusters-cmk-v-2/)
- For the networking API reference, see [Networking API reference](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/ccloud/networks-networking-v-1/)
- For supported providers and regions, see [Confluent Cloud Regions and Availability by Cloud Provider](../get-started/regions.md#providers-regions)
- For BYOK encrypted clusters, see [Protect Data at Rest Using Self-Managed Encryption Keys on Confluent Cloud](../security/encrypt/byok/overview.md#byok-encrypted-clusters)
- For cost estimates, see [Confluent Cost Estimator](https://www.confluent.io/pricing/cost-estimator/)