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Self-hosting without the guesswork.

Run your own apps, media and services with practical guides tested on real hardware.

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  • ✓ Tested on real hardware
  • ✓ Practical configurations
  • ✓ Beginner-friendly

New to self-hosting?

Your first self-hosted server, step by step. Every step links to a guide that has actually run in our lab.

01 Choose your hardwareRaspberry Pi, mini PC or old desktop — with real numbers
02 Install LinuxA clean, minimal install you understand
03 Deploy your first appsRSS, music, a wiki — one compose file at a time
04 Secure your serverSSH keys, the firewall and Docker networks
05 Set up backupsSo a failed drive is an annoyance, not a disaster
06 Build your stackAdd the services you will actually use
Start the beginner path →

We test it before we tell you to run it.

Every setup is tested on real hardware before we publish it. Same hardware class you would run at home — not a spec sheet.

Home server with its side panel off on a wooden workbench with test equipment

Real hardware

Not just theoretical configurations. Guides run on the same boxes you would buy.

Working setups

Practical, reproducible configurations — copy-paste compose files that work.

No unnecessary complexity

Only add complexity when it actually solves a problem. Simplest setup that does the job.

What do you want to self-host?

Pick what you want to run. Each door leads to a guide or section that has been tested in our lab.

Wireless headphones on a desk next to a music server 🎵 Music Stream your own library, anywhere Explore → Cozy living room with a compact media server 🎬 Movies & TV Your own media server, no subscription Explore → Tablet showing a content feed next to a coffee cup 📰 RSS & News A private feed reader for everything you follow Explore → Home library with a compact server on a desk 📚 Knowledge A private wiki for notes and docs Explore → Small smart home hub in a cozy hallway 🏠 Home services Hubs and helpers for the house Explore → Stacked wooden blocks as a metaphor for containers 🐳 Docker & Linux Containers, compose files and the OS itself Explore → Compact home server with a security light and a padlock 🔐 Security SSH, firewalls and network isolation Explore → Compact network storage device with drive bays 💾 Storage & Backups Drive choices and the 3-2-1 rule Explore →
Explore self-hosted software →

Your first self-hosted stack

Don’t install 40 apps on day one. Start with a few useful services — add more when you need them.

Navidrome Your own music streaming server Streams your library to any device, with playlists and mobile apps. Miniflux Your own RSS reader Aggregates every feed you follow into one clean, fast list. DokuWiki Your own knowledge base A private wiki where notes live as plain-text files on your disk. Jellyfin Your own movie & TV server Open-source media streaming with hardware transcoding.
See the recommended stack →

Not sure what hardware you need?

Raspberry Pi, mini PC or old desktop? You do not need a big server to start — here is how the three realistic options compare.

Green single board computer in a plain black case LOWEST POWER Raspberry Pi Low power · beginner friendly Compact black mini PC home server on a wooden desk BEST ALL-ROUNDER Mini PC Best all-rounder · our default pick Compact used desktop PC tower MAX FLEXIBILITY Old Desktop Maximum flexibility · upgrade path
Choose your hardware →

The guides we’d start with

Not the most popular — the ones we would actually follow, in this order.

Hands plugging an ethernet cable into a small home server BEGINNER The Self-Hosting Starter Guide From a blank Linux machine to a working home server Headphones next to a music server with a vinyl record MUSIC Navidrome in Docker Your own music streaming server for your library Movie night setup with a compact media server MEDIA Jellyfin in Docker A self-hosted media server for movies and TV Mini PC home server on a dark wooden desk HARDWARE What Hardware for a Home Server? Raspberry Pi vs mini PC vs desktop, with real benchmarks Home server with security light next to a padlock SECURITY Secure Your Home Server SSH keys, firewall rules and Docker network isolation Wooden blocks stacked as a container metaphor DOCKER Docker & Linux guides Containers and compose files, explained practically
View all guides →

What are you trying to do?

Answer in one line and we’ll take you to the right place.

I’m completely new Start Here → I want a media server Media guides → I want to run Docker Docker & Linux → I want to secure my server Security → I need to choose hardware Hardware → I want useful self-hosted apps Software → I want to run local AI AI & LLM guides → I want to back things up The 3-2-1 backup plan → I want to sync my files Syncthing in Docker →