In cloud computing, **clusters** and **instances** are fundamental components but serve different purposes: - **Instances**: An instance in cloud computing is a virtual server used for running applications. It's an isolated environment containing all the necessary elements like CPU, memory, and storage to run an application. Instances can be scaled up or down based on demand, making them flexible and cost-effective. Each instance operates independently, and you can have multiple instances under a single cloud account. - **Clusters**: A cluster, on the other hand, refers to a group of instances that work together to perform a set of tasks or serve a single purpose. Clusters are used to enhance performance, availability, and redundancy. They allow for load balancing across instances, ensuring that no single instance is overwhelmed with requests. Clusters also provide fault tolerance; if one instance fails, others in the cluster can take over the workload, ensuring continuous operation. In summary, an instance is a single virtual server, while a cluster is a group of instances working together. Clusters enhance the capabilities of individual instances by providing scalability, high availability, and load balancing .