DigitalOcean Droplet snapshot to App Platform runtime parity

Direct answer

A Droplet snapshot cannot be deployed directly to App Platform, but it can serve as a reference for authoring an equivalent Dockerfile‑driven runtime. Parity is not automatic; it requires explicit version pins on both the VM and container sides.

Likely explanation vs confirmed facts

• Likely explanation: Snapshots preserve a virtual machine’s state at a moment, while App Platform builds ephemeral containers from source or a Dockerfile. Base‑image selection, package‑manager timing, and buildpack resolution often differ, causing dependency drift.
• Confirmed facts: A Droplet snapshot is a point‑in-time image of the OS and installed packages; App Platform’s build process resolves language runtimes and base images independently. Neither side guarantees parity without explicit pins.

Steps to pursue parity

1. Pin the Droplet snapshot ID in Terraform or the control panel and record the base OS digest.
2. From the same repository commit, write an explicit Dockerfile for App Platform that uses the same OS base image (pinned by digest) and installs language runtimes via lockfiles (e.g., pip freeze, npm ci).
3. Pin the base image by digest in the App Platform app spec; avoid floating tags.
4. Freeze all runtime dependencies inside the Dockerfile; do not rely on buildpack auto‑resolution.
5. Deploy both environments from the identical commit: create the Droplet from the pinned snapshot and the App Platform app from the Dockerfile. Compare /etc/os-release, installed package lists, and language version outputs.
6. Inspect App Platform build logs for the exact base‑image digest and buildpack version used; store these alongside the Terraform configuration.

Missing diagnostic detail

To confirm whether the version pins already align or what adjustment is needed, please provide the exact Droplet snapshot ID (or its derived base‑image digest).