Best of self-hosting — July 2025

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   Article

   Jeff Geerling·44w

   You will own nothing and be happy (Stop Killing Games)

   Digital ownership is under threat as companies increasingly tie products to cloud services and DRM systems. Modern appliances like dishwashers now require app connections and WiFi, while games are designed to expire when servers shut down. The Stop Killing Games initiative aims to preserve gaming by requiring companies to ensure purchased games remain playable after official support ends. Self-hosting and local ownership represent a pushback against the rental-based economy where consumers lose control over products they've purchased.

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   Article

   The New Stack·44w

   Build Your Own Private Cloud at Home With Docker

   Docker containers can transform your home network into a private cloud alternative to third-party services. Key applications include Nextcloud for file storage and office suite functionality, Grocy for household management and meal planning, Tududi for task management with Telegram integration, Bitwarden for password management, and Portainer for container management through a web interface. These self-hosted solutions provide greater control, security, and privacy compared to cloud-based alternatives.

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   Article

   Hacker News·42w

   My Ultimate Self-hosting Setup

   A comprehensive guide to building a self-hosting setup using NixOS, ZFS, and Tailscale. The author shares their journey from tinkering with various approaches to settling on a stable configuration that prioritizes security, usability, and maintainability. Key components include NixOS for declarative configuration, ZFS for data protection, Tailscale for secure networking, and Authelia with LLDAP for authentication. The setup separates public and private services across multiple servers, with detailed solutions for common problems like DNS configuration, SSL certificates, and service proxying.

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   Article

   Hacker News·41w

   The Future is NOT Self-Hosted

   Self-hosting offers digital independence by running personal cloud services at home, but it's technically complex and creates isolated systems that lack the convenience of shared cloud services. The author argues for community-hosted infrastructure instead - publicly funded, encrypted cloud services that combine the benefits of cloud computing with user ownership and privacy. This approach would provide accessible digital services through libraries or cooperatives, avoiding both corporate control and the inefficiency of individual self-hosting setups.

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   Article

   Getting started with AI·41w

   Self-Hosted Private LLM using Ollama and Open WebUI

   Learn how to set up a private, self-hosted ChatGPT alternative using Ollama and Open WebUI with Docker. This tutorial covers creating a local AI chatbot that runs entirely on your machine, protecting your data privacy while providing a familiar web interface. The guide includes Docker Compose configuration, model selection and installation, and step-by-step setup instructions for a complete offline AI solution.

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