Validate Docker Compose Before You Deploy
Use docker compose config to catch broken variables, invalid YAML, and unsafe overrides before your self-hosted stack goes down.
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#tutorials
54 articles
Encrypt Docker Compose Secrets With SOPS and age
Keep Docker Compose secrets in Git without committing plaintext. Set up SOPS and age for a small, auditable self-hosted deployment workflow.
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Docker Compose Profiles: Stop Starting Every Homelab Service
Use Docker Compose profiles to keep optional homelab tools out of your default stack, then start exactly what you need with one command.
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Sign Docker Images With Cosign: A Homelab Guide
Stop trusting container tags blindly. Sign and verify Docker images with Cosign so your homelab deploys artifacts you can actually identify.
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Self-Host Karakeep: The AI Bookmark Manager That Replaced My 500 Open Tabs
Karakeep (formerly Hoarder) is a self-hosted bookmark manager with automatic AI tagging, full-text search, and browser extensions. Deploy it with Docker in 5 minutes.
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Ansible for Self-Hosters: Automate Your Entire Homelab
Stop SSH'ing into servers to run the same commands. Learn how to use Ansible to automate server setup, Docker deployments, and security hardening — all from one playbook.
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Self-Host Audiobookshelf: Ditch Audible and Own Your Audiobooks
Self-host Audiobookshelf with Docker in 10 minutes. Ditch Audible subscriptions, stream audiobooks and podcasts from your own server. Full 2026 setup guide.
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Docker Network Security for Self-Hosters: Isolation, Firewalls, and Real-World Setup
Most self-hosters run every container on the default bridge network. Here's why that's risky — and how to properly isolate your apps with Docker networks, internal zones, and firewall rules.
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Self-Host Watchtower: Automatic Docker Container Updates on Autopilot
Stop manually checking for Docker updates. Set up Watchtower to auto-update your containers, with sane exclusions so only safe services update unattended.
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Authelia + LLDAP: Self-Hosted SSO That Doesn't Weigh a Ton
Authentik is great, but sometimes you want something lighter. Here's how to set up Authelia with LLDAP as your auth gateway — no bloated dependencies, no headache.
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Self-Host Penpot: The Open-Source Figma Alternative That's Actually Ready
Penpot is the open-source design and prototyping platform that's been quietly replacing Figma for self-hosters. Here's how to deploy it with Docker Compose in under 10 minutes.
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Self-Host Dockge: The Docker Compose UI That Won't Steal Your Morning
Dockge is a Docker Compose management UI from the creator of Uptime Kuma. Set it up in 2 minutes, manage stacks visually, and stop SSHing into your server to edit YAML files.
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Self-Host ntfy: Push Notifications via curl for Your Homelab
Self-host ntfy to send push notifications to your phone from any script or cron job using nothing but curl. A quick Docker setup for your homelab.
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Self-Host Mastodon: The Complete Guide to Running Your Own Fediverse Server
Run your own Mastodon instance on a VPS. Complete guide covering Docker Compose setup, federation, S3 storage, moderation, and the real costs of hosting a Fediverse server in 2026.
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Stirling PDF: Self-Host 50+ PDF Tools Without Uploading Files Anywhere
Self-host Stirling PDF on your VPS and get merge, split, compress, OCR, and convert tools — all offline. 77K GitHub stars and one Docker command.
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Self-Host Headscale: Run Your Own Tailscale Control Server
Tailscale is amazing, but it relies on their cloud coordination server. Headscale lets you own that piece too. Here's how I run my own mesh VPN.
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Self-Host Dozzle: The Docker Log Viewer I Use Before Loki
Self-host Dozzle for real-time Docker logs without running a full logging stack. A quick homelab setup with Compose, security tips, and gotchas.
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Self-Host NetBird: A Mesh VPN That Feels Like Tailscale, But Yours
Self-host NetBird for private homelab access without port forwarding. A practical Docker guide with setup, ACLs, routing, and real gotchas.
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Arcane Docker Management: The Lightweight Portainer Alternative I’d Try First
Arcane gives self-hosters a clean Docker management UI, GitOps deployments, and sane homelab workflows without dragging in enterprise baggage.
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Rootless Docker for Self-Hosting: Less Blast Radius, Same Apps
Run Docker without giving every container root-shaped teeth. A practical rootless Docker setup for self-hosters who want safer VPS and homelab apps.
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Self-Host Renovate for Docker Compose Updates Without the YOLO Button
Watchtower is convenient until it updates the wrong thing at the wrong time. Here's how I use Renovate to get pull requests for Docker Compose updates instead.
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SSH Certificates: The Login Upgrade I Wish I Used Before My Homelab Got Messy
Stop copying SSH public keys to every VPS and homelab box. SSH certificates give you short-lived access, cleaner revocation, and one sane trust model for your servers.
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Self-Host IT-Tools: A Private Browser Toolbox for Everyday Admin Work
Stop pasting JWTs, hashes, and random production snippets into public converter websites. IT-Tools gives you a clean self-hosted toolbox that runs in your browser and takes five minutes to deploy.
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Caddy Client Certificates: The Cheap Private Gate I Put in Front of My Homelab
Password prompts are fine. VPNs are better. But for a few private web apps, Caddy mutual TLS is the tiny security layer I wish I had set up earlier.
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Self-Host Changedetection.io: Monitor Website Changes for Free
Stop manually refreshing pages to check for updates. Self-host Changedetection.io and get alerts when websites change — pricing, docs, job listings, anything.
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CrowdSec: The Crowd-Powered IPS That Replaced Fail2ban on My Servers
Fail2ban was good. CrowdSec is better. Here's why I switched my entire homelab to this collaborative intrusion prevention system — and how to set it up in 15 minutes.
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Self-Host Shlink: Your Own URL Shortener (Ditch Bitly for Good)
I got tired of Bitly tracking my clicks and charging for features I could run myself. Here's how I set up Shlink in Docker — a self-hosted URL shortener that's fast, private, and actually better.
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Self-Host Ollama + Open WebUI: Run Local LLMs on Your Own Server
Run powerful open-source LLMs entirely on your own hardware. No API fees, zero data leaving your server, and it's way easier to set up than you'd think.
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Home Assistant: The Self-Hosted Brain Your Smart Home Needs
I ditched Google Home and Alexa after realizing they were recording every conversation in my living room. Here's why Home Assistant is the only smart home platform that respects your privacy — and how to run it in Docker.
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Self-Host Your Monitoring Stack: Grafana + Prometheus Setup
Learn how to set up a complete monitoring stack with Grafana and Prometheus on your VPS. Real experience, no BS.
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Portainer: The GUI Docker Deserves (But Doesn't Come With)
Stop memorizing docker commands. Portainer gives you a clean web interface to manage containers, stacks, and volumes. Set it up in 5 minutes.
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Beszel: Docker Monitoring That Won't Make You Cry
Prometheus gave me migraines. Netdata flooded me with useless graphs. Beszel is the monitoring solution I actually wanted.
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Pangolin : Le Reverse Proxy qui Va Vous Faire Oublier WireGuard et Cloudflare
J'ai passé des heures à configurer WireGuard, des jours à débugger des tunnels qui tombent. Puis j'ai découvert Pangolin.
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Automate Everything With N8N: No-Code Workflows Without Zapier's Price Tag
Self-host N8N and build powerful automations. Connect anything to anything. No coding required. Replace Zapier for a fraction of the cost.
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Track Your Homelab Equipment With Homebox (Before You Forget What You Own)
You have 47 things. You don't remember what half of them are. Homebox is a simple self-hosted inventory manager that fixes this problem.
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Vaultwarden : Votre Coffre-Fort de Mots de Passe Auto-Hébergé
J'ai quitté LastPass après leur fuite de données. Voici pourquoi Vaultwarden (Bitwarden RS) est le meilleur gestionnaire de mots de passe self-hosté — et comment l'installer.
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Self-Host Gotify: Push Notifications Without Google or Apple
Get real-time push notifications from your self-hosted apps without Firebase or APNs. Set up Gotify in Docker and never miss an alert again.
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Manage Your Self-Hosted App Secrets With HashiCorp Vault
Stop scattering API keys in .env files. Set up HashiCorp Vault in Docker to centralize, rotate, and audit every secret your self-hosted apps need.
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Block Every Ad on Your Network: Self-Hosting AdGuard Home
Control your entire network's DNS with AdGuard Home. Block ads everywhere—no browser extensions needed. One setup, whole house protected.
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Homepage Dashboard: The Missing Front Page for Your Homelab
Set up Homepage dashboard to organize all your self-hosted services in one place. Docker-aware, 100+ widgets, no database required. Complete setup guide.
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How to Self-Host WireGuard VPN: Access Your Homelab From Anywhere
Set up your own WireGuard VPN server in Docker. Connect to your homelab securely from your phone, laptop, or anywhere — no paid VPN needed.
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How to Set Up Authentik: SSO for Your Entire Self-Hosted Stack
Stop managing 12 separate logins. Set up Authentik to get single sign-on across all your self-hosted apps — Nextcloud, Grafana, Gitea, and more.
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Self-Host Your Code with Forgejo: Escape GitHub Without Losing Your Sanity
Run your own Git server with Forgejo — the free, community-led Gitea fork. Full guide to setup, migration from GitHub, CI/CD, and why it's worth it.
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Self-Host Your Email with Mailcow: Complete 2026 Guide
Email is hard to self-host. Mailcow makes it bearable. Here's how I run my own mail server (and why you might want to).
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How to Self-Host Uptime Kuma: Free Server and Website Monitoring
Learn how to self-host Uptime Kuma, a beautiful open-source monitoring tool for your servers and websites. Complete Docker setup guide with best practices.
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Self-Host Paperless-ngx: Complete Document Management System Guide
Learn how to self-host Paperless-ngx, a powerful open-source document management system. Complete guide with Docker setup, OCR, and automation.
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How to Backup Your Self-Hosted Apps: Complete Guide to Data Protection
Learn how to properly backup your self-hosted applications with Docker volumes, databases, and off-site strategies. Protect your data from loss.
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Docker Compose for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know for Self-Hosting
Learn Docker Compose from scratch. Master multi-container apps, volumes, networks, and deploy your own services with a single command.
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How to Set Up Traefik Reverse Proxy with Docker — Complete Guide
Learn how to configure Traefik reverse proxy for Docker containers with automatic SSL certificates, dashboard access, and production-ready security settings.
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How to Self-Host Immich: The Best Google Photos Alternative
Self-host your photo library with Immich. Complete guide to setting up a Google Photos alternative with Docker, mobile apps, and unlimited storage.
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How to Self-Host Vaultwarden: The Ultimate Bitwarden Alternative
Complete guide to self-hosting Vaultwarden, a lightweight Bitwarden server. Set up your own password manager with Docker in under 30 minutes.
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Secure Your VPS in 20 Minutes: The Hardening Checklist I Use on Every Server
SSH keys, UFW firewall, Fail2ban, auto-updates — the exact steps I run on every new VPS before deploying anything. Copy-paste ready.
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Self-Host Everything in 2026: From Zero to Running Apps in 1 Hour
No Linux experience needed. I'll walk you through buying a VPS, installing Docker, setting up SSL, and deploying your first app — all in under an hour.
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5 Apps Worth Self-Hosting in 2026 (I Ditched the Cloud for These)
These 5 self-hosted apps replaced Google Photos, Bitwarden, and more for me. Each one took under 10 minutes to deploy. Here's exactly how.
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