VPS hosting in Brazil: when to host in-country
A server in Brazil is worth the premium for some workloads and wasted on others. Here is what the distance costs your users, and how to measure it yourself.
Guides
Step-by-step guides to running a Linux server. Exact commands in the order you run them, including the errors you will hit on the way.
ZFS on FreeBSD and Linux: the RAM trade-off
ZFS gives a server checksummed data, free snapshots, send/receive replication and cheap compression. The ARC also takes your RAM. How to judge that on a VPS.
FreeBSD jails vs Docker containers
Jails isolate a full FreeBSD userland; Docker ships layered images from a registry. How the two models differ on software, state, networking and limits.
From Red Hat to CentOS to Rocky and AlmaLinux
How Red Hat Linux split into Fedora and RHEL, why CentOS existed, what the 2020 CentOS Stream change broke, and where Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux came from.
Fedora server on a VPS: the 13-month clock
A Fedora release gets about 13 months of updates, so a Fedora server needs a version upgrade every year. What that costs, and when Fedora is worth it.
Which Linux OS to pick for your VPS
Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky, AlmaLinux, CentOS Stream or Fedora: choose by support lifetime, package age, RHEL compatibility and whose docs you follow.
Rocky Linux vs AlmaLinux: which for a VPS?
Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux rebuild the same Red Hat sources. What differs is the compatibility promise, and whether older CPUs are still supported.
Install Docker on Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux
Install Docker Engine on Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux with dnf, then fix what Ubuntu guides skip: podman owning the docker command and SELinux on bind mounts.
firewalld basics for a Rocky or AlmaLinux VPS
Open SSH, allow a web port, close one, and survive a reboot with firewalld on Rocky or AlmaLinux. Zones explained, plus the --permanent trap.
SELinux basics for a server: what it breaks
nginx returns 403 and the permissions look fine. Read the SELinux denial, fix the label with semanage and restorecon, and leave enforcing on.
apt to dnf: equivalents for Rocky and Fedora
The dnf command for every apt command you already know, on Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux and Fedora, plus the repository and rollback parts that do not map.
SSH over a Tor onion service, no open ports
Put sshd behind a Tor onion service so the VPS answers on no inbound port. Setup, v3 client authorisation, and the exact order that avoids a lockout.
Run a Tor bridge with obfs4 on a VPS
Run an obfs4 Tor bridge on one cheap VPS: torrc directives, port choice, firewall, the log lines that prove it works, and how users get your bridge.
Run a Tor exit node: an operator's guide
We run Tor exit relays, so here is the real job: picking an exit-friendly host, exit policy, ContactInfo, reverse DNS, and answering abuse mail.
Run a Tor relay on your VPS
Set up a guard or middle Tor relay on a Linux VPS: torrc, bandwidth accounting that protects a metered plan, nyx monitoring, and the slow consensus ramp.
Host an .onion site on your VPS
Run a v3 onion service on Ubuntu with tor and nginx bound to loopback, then close the leaks that link the address back to your public IP.
Tor vs a VPN: which do you need?
Tor and a VPN answer different questions. See exactly who learns what at every hop, and why a VPS rented in your name is not an anonymity tool.
A history of Tor: onion routing to today
Tor began as onion routing research inside a US Navy lab in 1995. Here are the dated milestones, and a straight answer on who funds the network.
The history of systemd, and why it won
What SysV init could not do, what Upstart and launchd tried first, why every distribution moved to systemd in four years, and which objections were right.
A history of open source software
From the Homebrew Computer Club to the SSPL: how the GPL, the 1998 rebrand and today's relicensing wave shaped the apps you self-host today.
A history of Linux distributions
Almost every Linux distribution descends from Slackware, Debian or Red Hat. Trace the family tree, the package managers, and what your VPS images inherited.
Linux kernel history: the decisions that stuck
A history of the Linux kernel from 0.01 to 7.x: the GPL switch, the microkernel argument, the birth of git, the LTS model, and what each means for servers.
The history of Unix and Linux, 1969 to now
How Unix became Linux: Bell Labs in 1969, AT&T licensing, Berkeley BSD, the 1992 lawsuit, and why the server room went to Linux instead of BSD.
Computing history: from mainframe to your VPS
The VPS you rent is a direct descendant of 1960s time-sharing. Trace the line through CTSS, Multics, Unix, IBM VM/370, Xen and KVM, and what never changed.
dnf-automatic security updates on Rocky/Alma
Configure dnf-automatic on Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux: security-only mode, the systemd timer, email alerts, and a reboot policy that avoids surprises.
GPL vs MIT vs Apache: a licence history
Why the GPL, MIT and Apache 2.0 exist, what each one asks of you, and what the SSPL and BUSL relicensing wave means if you self-host the software.
AI-assisted code and open source policies
Open source projects disagree on AI-assisted code. Find the project's policy before you open the pull request, and disclose it in the commit trailer.
Coding agent telemetry: what gets sent
Four kinds of traffic leave a coding agent, and only one is unavoidable. Audit any agent from the machine itself, then cut the traffic you did not agree to.
Fix Tailscale install errors on Ubuntu
Most Tailscale install errors on Ubuntu are apt errors. Read the status code apt printed, then fix the release codename or the signing keyring.
dox: keep AGENTS.md current automatically
Your AGENTS.md is wrong three weeks later and the agent trusts it. Use dox to regenerate the file from the repo, then review the diff like code.
Compartment: offline encrypted agent memory
Compartment keeps agent memory encrypted on your own machine, fully offline. What that threat model really covers, and what happens if you lose the key.
Self-hosted speech to text and TTS on a VPS
Run Whisper transcription and Piper text to speech on your own VPS. What it costs in CPU time and disk, and how to expose an OpenAI compatible endpoint.
Ollama quantization: Q4 vs Q8 vs fp16
Pick an Ollama quantization with arithmetic instead of guesswork: what q4_K_M, q8_0 and fp16 cost in RAM, and where the quality actually drops.
Nginx vs Caddy vs Traefik: pick a proxy
Three services, one VPS, one public IP. How Nginx, Caddy and Traefik differ on certificates, config cost per app, websockets and Docker routing.
Podman vs Docker on a VPS: what really differs
Podman runs containers with no daemon and rootless by default. What that changes on a rented server: compose files, quadlets, ports and volume ownership.
Self-hosted error tracking: Sentry alternatives
Sentry self-hosted wants 16 GB RAM. GlitchTip runs in 512 MB. Compare RAM, disk growth, container count and upgrade pain before you pick one.
Is self-hosted storage cheaper than Dropbox?
A three year cost model at 1 TB, 4 TB and five seats: a Dropbox subscription against a storage VPS, offsite backup, a domain and your own hours.
Can you actually game on a VPS?
Two readers, two answers. A standard VPS cannot play games for you, and here is the reason. Hosting a dedicated game server on one works well.
New York VPS hosting: what matters
Why so much network capacity landed in the New York and New Jersey metro, when an East Coast VPS beats a central US one, and how to measure it.
What is SSH, and how does it work?
SSH is an encrypted channel to a remote server. Learn the client and server model, port 22, host key fingerprints, and key versus password login.
Claude Code plugins: what they are and cost
What a Claude Code plugin is, where it lives, how to install one, and what it really costs: nothing for the mechanism, tokens for everything it loads.
Claude Max vs ChatGPT Pro: which $200 tier?
Both top tiers cost $200 a month. Compare what usage each buys, whether the coding agent is included, and how each one behaves when you hit a limit.
Can your VPS run Firecracker microVMs?
Firecracker needs /dev/kvm, and most VPS plans never pass it through. Check yours in three commands, read the result, and know what to run when it is missing.
Ubuntu LTS vs interim releases on a server
An interim Ubuntu release gives you nine months and a forced upgrade. An LTS gives you five years. Here is what each costs on a server you run.
What is DNS? A server owner's guide
DNS decides whether your domain reaches your VPS. Learn the records, nameservers, TTL and the caching that makes a DNS change look like it failed.
Fix duplicate apt sources and deb822 files
apt update says a target is configured multiple times. Find the legacy .list and deb822 .sources pair, keep one, and get a clean update run back.
Fix SSH Permission denied (publickey)
Permission denied (publickey) is five different faults. Read the ssh -v output, find which one you have, and fix it without locking yourself out.
KV cache vs prompt cache explained
The KV cache is RAM your server pays for on every request. Prompt caching is a bill someone else discounts. Only one can break a model load.
Which AI models can you self-host?
Pick a model by the RAM you actually have. Sizing arithmetic for 4 GB, 16 GB and 64 GB VPS plans, honest CPU token rates, and the hidden cost of context.
Self-hosted Git server: Forgejo, Gitea or cgit
Four ways to run a self-hosted Git server, ranked by RAM: bare repos over SSH, cgit, Forgejo or Gitea, and GitLab. See what a 1 GB VPS can host.
Self-host Chatwoot on a VPS with Docker
Deploy Chatwoot on a VPS with Docker Compose and Traefik: pinned tags, SMTP that actually sends, Postgres and uploads backups, and safe upgrades.
Halcyon: your Jellyfin as a 90s video store
Halcyon rebuilds your Jellyfin library as a walkable 1990s rental store in the browser. The Docker command, the reverse proxy, and the honest caveats.
Self-host LiveContext, an n8n alternative
LiveContext CE is a six container Docker stack with a Java backend that wants 8 GB. Size it, pin the version, put Traefik in front, and back up both stores.
Nested AGENTS.md files for a monorepo
One root AGENTS.md in a monorepo goes stale and burns context on directories the agent never opens. Here is the nested layout that fixes it.
Self-host open-kritt AI security scanning
Run open-kritt on a VPS: Docker Compose setup, pinning a release, SSH tunnel to the UI on port 5173, and the provider budget to set before your first scan.
Limit process memory and CPU with systemd
A capped process can still stall your whole VPS. Set MemoryHigh, MemoryMax, CPUQuota and TasksMax on a systemd unit, and read the OOM kill after.
Django vs Flask on a small VPS
What Django and Flask really cost on a 1 to 2 GB VPS: resident memory per gunicorn worker, and how many workers a small box can honestly run.
The watch command in Linux, properly
The watch command re-runs anything every two seconds. Pick a sane interval, highlight the diff, exit on change, and quote pipes so watch runs them.
Recover files deleted with rm -rf
You ran rm -rf on the wrong path. Stop writing to that disk now, then work through the recovery options that actually exist on ext4, in order.
Nextcloud alternatives worth self-hosting
Nextcloud alternatives sorted by what you keep: file sync only, faster sync with a lighter server, object storage, or plain SFTP. With migration costs.
Self-host Chaptarr for audiobooks on a VPS
Readarr retired in 2025. Chaptarr is the fork that runs audiobooks and ebooks in one instance: a Compose service, PUID and PGID, and the metadata break.
Self-host Planka: open-source Kanban board
Deploy Planka on a VPS with Docker Compose: Postgres, Traefik, the admin bootstrap variables, and the BASE_URL setting that breaks your logins.
VPS snapshots vs backups vs clones
A snapshot lives on your provider's infrastructure, so it is not a backup. What each one restores, and what to fix on a cloned VPS before it runs.
Keep an Ollama model loaded in memory
Ollama unloads your model after 5 minutes idle, so the next request pays the full load time again. Set keep_alive so it sticks, even after a reboot.
Ollama context length: setting num_ctx
Ollama truncates long prompts at a small default context window. Set num_ctx per request or server wide, and size the KV cache RAM before you raise it.
Claude Code sessions that message each other
One Claude Code session can send text to another on the same VPS. What ListAgents and SendMessage do, when a second session helps, and why messages get held.
Claude Code auto mode: the new default
Auto mode becomes the Claude Code default on 14 August 2026. What each permission mode does, and which one a server you cannot watch deserves.
Cockpit vs Webmin for server management
Cockpit or Webmin on your Ubuntu VPS: what each panel can change, how each logs you in, why neither belongs on a public port, and when to use neither.
Use Ollama with your coding agent
Point a coding agent at a model you host: the base URL, the dummy key, the context length that breaks everything, and the jobs a local model wins.
Is Claude Code worth paying for?
A Claude Code plan pays for itself in recovered hours. Here is the arithmetic at your own rate, the cases where it fails, and the VPS cost nobody counts.
Self-host Iva: a Telegram AI assistant
Run Iva, a self-hosted Telegram AI assistant, on a small VPS: no open ports, no domain, systemd user services and an Obsidian vault you back up.
Why your self-hosted LLM stalls at 5 users
One user was fine, five crawl. How batching, KV cache limits, prefill and queue depth decide how many people your LLM server can serve at once.
When agent memory goes stale, and how to prune
Agent memories go wrong quietly. Put an expiry on time bound facts, cascade the deletes, review the rest, and read your SQLite store with sqlite3.
Agent skills vs MCP servers vs rules files
Three ways to give a coding agent context, and one rule for picking. See what a skill, an MCP server and a rules file each cost in tokens and upkeep.
Self-hosted Calendly alternatives compared
Cal.com, Easy!Appointments, Rallly and DayOtter on your own VPS, compared on the two things that decide it: two-way calendar sync and outbound email.
Self-host AFFiNE: a Notion-style workspace
Run AFFiNE on one VPS with Docker Compose: the four containers, pinned image tags, where your data lives, backups, and what 2 GB of RAM really buys.
Keycloak vs Authentik vs Zitadel on one VPS
Three self-hosted SSO servers, one small VPS. The RAM floor each one really needs, which handles apps that speak no SSO, and where each one loses.
Stateless MCP servers: what actually changed
MCP revision 2026-07-28 removed sessions and the initialize handshake. What that means for your reverse proxy, health checks, timeouts and auth.
Claude on Linux: Desktop App and CLI
What runs natively on Linux today: the beta desktop app from apt, the Claude Code CLI, editor plugins, and which paid plan covers each one.
Switching to Colemak on Linux
Set Colemak on the Linux console, in X11 and on Wayland, learn why an SSH server needs no layout, and what happens to Vim's hjkl and Ctrl keys.
Bash history expansion: !! and !$
!! repeats the last command and !$ gives you its last argument. Learn the six bash history expansions worth knowing, plus :p to print one before it runs.
OnlyOffice vs Collabora on your own server
Which office server belongs next to Nextcloud: vendor RAM floors, the CODE connection limit, docx fidelity, and what really fits a 2 to 4 GB VPS.
Self-host Octop: a multi-user AI assistant
Deploy Octop on a VPS with Docker Compose pinned to a tag: per-user isolation, an OpenAI-compatible model backend, TLS, and why to skip the curl installer.
Paritok token gateway: cheaper agent bills?
Paritok compresses the file reads and tool output your coding agent sends. The project claims 74% fewer tokens. Here is the mechanism and the break-even math.
AES-NI on a VPS: Check and Restore It
Check whether your VPS exposes AES-NI, measure what a masked CPUID costs your AES-GCM throughput, and force the bits back on with OPENSSL_ia32cap.
CPU steal time and noisy neighbours on a VPS
Steal time is the CPU your VPS was ready to use and never got. Learn to read the vmstat st column and to tell a noisy neighbour from your own overload.
What is GitHub? Git vs GitHub for VPS owners
Git is the version control program on your machine. GitHub is one hosted service built around it. What the difference means when you own a VPS.
How to choose a VPS for game servers
What a game server VPS really needs: fast single core speed and enough RAM. Sizing, ports, systemd restarts, backups, and why latency is about location.
Is Vaultwarden Secure? A Hardening Pass
Vaultwarden encrypts every vault item in the client, so the server holds no plaintext. The real risks are your admin token and your backup file.
Syncthing vs Nextcloud for file sync on a VPS
Syncthing is peer to peer with no server copy. Nextcloud is a server with accounts and links. Which one fits your VPS, and why neither is a backup.
Run a Tailscale subnet router on a VPS
Advertise a private network to your tailnet from a VPS: route approval, IP forwarding that survives a reboot, and the --accept-routes flag Linux needs.
Self-host the NetBird VPN server on a VPS
Run the NetBird mesh VPN on one VPS: DNS and TLS setup, the pinned quickstart script, setup keys for unattended peers, and how it compares to Headscale.
What PUID and PGID do in Docker Compose
PUID and PGID are not Docker settings. They are an entrypoint convention in linuxserver.io images. Why bind mount files land as 911:911, and how to fix it.
Self-host Superlog for AI-triaged logs
Superlog turns OTLP traces, logs and metrics into incidents an agent triages. Run the self-hosted stack on your own VPS, and know the real footprint first.
Self-host KiroCrew on a VPS: always-on agent
Run KiroCrew as a pinned container on your own VPS so memory and schedules survive reboots. Docker, systemd, SSH access, backups and rollback.
The types of AI agents, explained
Simple reflex, goal-based, utility-based, learning, multi-agent: what each type of AI agent is for, and which ones you can honestly self-host.
Share agent skills across repos without drift
Copy a skill into eight repos and the copies drift. Treat skills like dependencies: one shared repo, and a version each project pins and reviews.
How much RAM does a coding agent VPS need?
One always-on coding agent runs on 4 GB and 2 vCPU. The builds and language servers it launches are what fill the box, and what makes it hang.
Measure tokens per second on a local LLM
A rented GPU only beats per-token billing above a throughput floor. Measure tokens per second properly with a concurrency sweep, then decide.
Docker Compose command vs entrypoint
ENTRYPOINT is what runs and command supplies its arguments. See all four override combinations in Compose, and why setting entrypoint clears CMD.
Use your VPS as a Tailscale exit node
Turn your VPS into a Tailscale exit node: install, advertise, enable IP forwarding, approve the route in the admin console, then fix DNS and IPv6.
Back up and restore Immich on a VPS
What an Immich backup must contain, why copying the Postgres data directory is not a backup, and the restore mistake that leaves a timeline empty.
Seafile vs Nextcloud for file sync
Seafile splits files into blocks for fast sync. Nextcloud keeps files on disk and runs apps. Compare sync speed, RAM, backups and encryption.
drwxr-xr-x explained: Linux file permissions
Read drwxr-xr-x one character at a time and map it to 755. Learn why x on a directory means traverse, and why chmod 777 is never the right fix.
What is HTTP? A server admin's guide
HTTP explained for people who run servers: methods, status codes, the headers that matter, what nginx logs, and where HTTP/3 and TLS fit in.
Storage VPS vs regular VPS: what changes
A storage VPS trades NVMe speed and CPU for cheap terabytes. See which spec lines separate it from a standard VPS, and which workload each one fits.
Claude for sysadmins: everyday server jobs
Six server jobs Claude does well: reading a failed unit's logs, drafting systemd units, reviewing nginx and Compose files, plus what you must never paste.
How to pay less for Claude
Seven levers that cut a Claude bill: annual billing, right sizing the plan, cheaper models, smaller context, prompt caching, batch jobs, and real discounts.
Claude Team vs Enterprise: which to buy
Team or Enterprise for Claude? Compare seat minimums, billing terms, SSO and SCIM, data controls, and where Claude Code fits, with two worked examples.
Is Claude Code included with Claude Pro?
Yes, on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise, and no on the free plan. See what shares your usage window, and when an API key quietly bills you instead.
Cancel or downgrade your Claude plan
Cancel or downgrade a Claude plan without losing the month you paid for: when billing stops, what changes at period end, and when Max to Pro costs nothing.
Claude vs ChatGPT: which plan is cheaper?
Claude Free, Pro, Max 5x and Max 20x beside ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro at August 2026 prices, plus which one is cheaper for coding work.
GPU VPS vs API tokens: the break-even point
Renting a GPU by the hour beats per-token API billing only above a certain volume. Here is the formula and the monthly token count where it flips.
The Fable method: skills for any model
The fable-method repo turns Claude Fable 5's habits into agent skills. What each file does, what ports to other models, and how to A/B it on a VPS.
Disable wp-cron and use system cron
WP-Cron only fires when someone loads a page, so it stalls on quiet sites and piles up on busy ones. Move it to system cron with WP-CLI, and verify it ran.
Reach your Hermes agent from your phone
Your Hermes agent runs on a VPS. Reach it from a phone over a private mesh or a public HTTPS endpoint, and revoke access when the phone goes missing.
Self-host OpenTag for @agent mentions
Run OpenTag on a VPS so Slack and GitHub mentions reach your coding agent: TLS ingress, webhook signature checks, token scopes, and safe defaults.
Self-hosted evals for AI agents
Build an eval loop you own: golden cases from real traces, cheap deterministic checks first, an LLM judge second, and a pass rate you track per commit.
Self-host LiteLLM as your LLM gateway
Run one OpenAI-compatible endpoint in front of every provider you use: LiteLLM on a VPS with virtual keys, per-key budgets, fallbacks, and pinned images.
Self-hosted Trello alternatives compared
Planka, Vikunja, Focalboard, Wekan and Kanboard compared on RAM floor, database, SSO, Trello import and which of them are still maintained.
Self-hosted RSS readers compared on a VPS
Miniflux, FreshRSS, CommaFeed, yarr and Tiny Tiny RSS on a VPS: memory budgets, database needs, Fever and Google Reader API support, and upgrade behaviour.
How much RAM and disk does Immich need?
Immich documents 6 GB of RAM as its minimum. Here is what the server, Postgres, Redis and machine learning each need, and how to run it on 4 GB.
Vaultwarden backup and restore on a VPS
Copy a live Vaultwarden vault with sqlite3 .backup, keep the attachments, config.json and rsa_key files, then prove the restore works before you need it.
RAID 10 explained for VPS storage
What RAID 1, 5, 6 and 10 survive, what a rebuild costs, and why VPS hosts pick RAID 10 for NVMe. Plus how to read /proc/mdstat, and why RAID is not a backup.
DigitalOcean alternatives for developers
Compare DigitalOcean alternatives on price per GB of RAM, included transfer, NVMe storage and backup costs, with a cutover plan that avoids downtime.
Is VPS hosting safe? What you control
A VPS separates you from other customers at the hypervisor. The real risk is your own setup: open services, reused keys, unpatched packages, leaked secrets.
VPS hosting in Toronto: when it is worth it
When a Toronto VPS is worth it: Canadian data residency limits, real latency to the GTA and northeast US, TorIX peering, and when to host somewhere else.
Claude Code spend tracking tools compared
Claude Code spend trackers answer different questions. Compare local log parsers against the built-in usage screens and your own OpenTelemetry stack.
Claude limit reached: what to do next
Hit a Claude usage limit? Work out which window you are waiting on, then pick a route: smaller model, smaller context, usage credits, or the API.
Input vs Output Tokens: Claude's Cost Gap
Claude output tokens cost five times input. Here is why decoding is slower than prefill, and what that asymmetry does to a real agent bill each month.
Self-host sandboxd: an AI app builder on a VPS
Run the sandboxd AI app builder on your own VPS: pinned install, model keys, HTTPS preview URLs, RAM and disk floors, and cleaning up stale sandboxes.
Self-host Dormice for agent sandboxes
Dormice runs E2B-compatible agent sandboxes on one VPS you own. Install it, execute code in a sandbox, check the isolation, and size the host.
Self-hosted stock research agent on a VPS
Build a self-hosted stock research agent on a VPS: a market data feed, a DuckDB store, a systemd timer that fires at market close, and an LLM screen.
MCP email server: give your agent an inbox
Run an MCP email server on your VPS so Claude can triage your inbox. App password scoping, sender allowlists, draft-only replies, and the injection risk.
AI Agent vs LLM vs AI Assistant
An LLM is weights that need RAM. An assistant adds a chat surface. An agent adds tools and a loop, and it holds credentials, so it needs a box that stays on.
Run Qwen 3.8 27B on a VPS With Ollama
There is no Qwen 3.8 on Ollama yet. Here is the arithmetic for running the 27B tag that does exist on a CPU-only VPS, and what fits in 8 to 64 GB.
Self-hosted Firecrawl alternatives for a VPS
Draco, Hound and self-hosted Firecrawl compared on RAM, headless browser needs and API compatibility, with a pinned install and an MCP wire-up.
Self-hosted n8n alternatives compared
Activepieces, Windmill, Node-RED, Automatisch and Huginn measured against n8n on licence, RAM, database, AI steps and the backup that breaks restores.
cPanel Alternatives for a Linux VPS
Free cPanel alternatives for a VPS: Virtualmin, ISPConfig, CyberPanel, HestiaCP, CloudPanel and Froxlor, with install commands and the migration traps.
Install Cloudron on a VPS
Install Cloudron on a fresh Ubuntu VPS: the wildcard DNS record, the setup script, first boot, sizing for 2 to 10 apps, mail, certificates and backups.
Vaultwarden vs Bitwarden self-hosted server
Bitwarden's own server wants a dozen containers and 2 GB of RAM. Vaultwarden serves the same API in one. Here is which one belongs on your VPS.
Gluetun: reach the host and other containers
A container behind Gluetun has no interfaces of its own. Publish its ports on Gluetun, and open only the subnets it must reach outside the tunnel.
Docker on a VPS: what actually changes
Docker on a VPS is the same engine with less room: RAM runs out, published ports skip UFW, containers stay down after a reboot, and disk fills up.
Upgrade Ubuntu 24.04 to 26.04 on a VPS
Ubuntu 24.04 does not offer 26.04 until the 26.04.1 point release lands. Here is the safe upgrade order, and the server services that break.
Bash Command Substitution: $() vs Backticks
Why $(...) runs in a subshell, so cd and variables vanish, why backticks nest badly, and the process substitution tricks that keep state in your shell.
VPS Hosting in Dallas: What It Buys You
What a Dallas VPS actually gives you: central US latency to both coasts, dense carrier peering, the ERCOT grid question, and when to host elsewhere.
What Is a VPS? A Plain-English Answer
A VPS is one physical server sliced by a hypervisor into private machines with their own kernel and root login. What that gets you, and where it stops.
Claude Pro price, limits and what you get
Claude Pro costs $20 a month, or $17 billed annually. Here is what it adds over the free plan, and the point where its usage limits stop you.
Claude Fable 5: price and when to use it
Claude Fable 5 lists at $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output. Here is what the published rates mean for the jobs you actually run.
Self-host Langfuse to trace your AI agents
Run Langfuse on your own VPS: the real resource floor, pinned image tags, TLS, ClickHouse retention before it fills the disk, and backups that work.
Open WebUI alternatives for a VPS
Open WebUI, LibreChat, Hollama and OrionChat compared on a VPS with a public IP: RAM left for the model, logins, remote Ollama, and upkeep.
Why is Claude so expensive? The token math
Output tokens cost five times input, and every turn re-reads your whole context. See the arithmetic on one real session, and the four levers that cut it.
What it takes to self-host Kimi K3
Kimi K3 is 2.8 trillion parameters. Here is the VRAM arithmetic, the KV cache math, and the three honest ways to run it without a 32 GPU cluster.
Omnigent: one harness for many agent CLIs
Omnigent drives the agent CLIs you already have installed. What a meta-harness is, how to pin release 0.7.0, and how to sandbox each sub-agent on a VPS.
Self-host an AI PR review agent on a VPS
Run an AI pull request reviewer on a VPS you control: self-hosted runner, diff-scoped prompts, path and size filters, inline comments, and the cost per PR.
Self-host mem0 for agent memory on a VPS
Run the mem0 memory server on your own VPS: the real RAM floor, a Compose file that binds to localhost, TLS in front of the API, and a fully local Ollama path.
What are agent skills, really?
An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file that loads only when your request matches it. Why that beats one giant prompt, and how it differs from MCP.
Route Docker containers through a VPN
Put a container behind a Gluetun sidecar and its ports vanish. Here is why the shared network namespace does that, and the compose file that works.
Self-hosted forum software compared
Discourse, Flarum, NodeBB and phpBB on a VPS: the RAM each really needs, the database it drags along, the spam story, and the migration path out.
Verify your VPS disk is really NVMe on Linux
Your host says NVMe. Check it from inside the guest with lsblk, sysfs, nvme-cli and a bounded fio latency run, and learn why virtio hides the disk.
Shared hosting vs VPS: which do you need?
Shared hosting or a VPS? The real split is root access and who fixes the server when it breaks. When shared hosting still wins, and the four signs to move.
Claude prompt caching: the break-even math
Cache writes cost 1.25x and reads 0.1x, so a Claude prefix pays back on its second use. Derive your own break-even, then prove it from the API.
Claude Code pricing by country and currency
Anthropic lists Claude Code in US dollars. Your bill adds a card conversion markup and local VAT or GST. Here is the arithmetic, country by country.
Claude Max: $100 vs $200 a month
Claude Max sells at two prices: 5x Pro usage or 20x. The models and features match. Here is what the multiplier means and which tier fits your work.
How much does Claude Code cost?
Claude Code costs $20 a month on Pro, $100 or $200 on Max, or per token with API credits. Prices as of August 2026, with a worked monthly estimate.
Ollama vs llama.cpp on a VPS
llama.cpp is the engine, Ollama is the layer on top. Which one to run on a CPU-only VPS, how quantisation choice changes RAM, and when neither fits.
Set up a Claude Code statusline on a VPS
The statusLine setting runs a script and prints its stdout under the prompt. Show hostname, directory, git branch and model, so you edit the right server.
Self-hosted Dropbox alternatives, compared
Nextcloud, Seafile, Syncthing and object storage compared: sync topology, what each really costs on a small VPS, and why sync is not backup.
DESIGN.md: the file after AGENTS.md
AGENTS.md tells a coding agent how to work in your repo. DESIGN.md tells it why the code is shaped that way, so it stops undoing your decisions.
Give your AI agent SearXNG web search
Your SearXNG instance can be the search backend for an AI agent. JSON API setup, the trust boundaries, and the prompt injection surface it opens.
Numbat: watch what your AI agents do
Perplexity open sourced Numbat, an endpoint monitor that records what AI coding agents really do on your servers. What it sees, and what it cannot stop.
Managed vs unmanaged VPS: which do you need?
Managed or unmanaged VPS? Price the labour: patching, firewall, backups, monitoring, the 2am reboot. What managed leaves out, plus the middle path.
Claude Enterprise Pricing, Explained
Claude Enterprise lists a $20 seat price, then meters every token at API rates. What the seat minimums, audit logs and negotiated quote really cover.
Self-host Open Connector for AI agents
Run the Open Connector auth gateway on your own VPS so your agents never hold a SaaS token: pinned image, TLS origin, OAuth callbacks, backups.
Change your VPS root password on Ubuntu
Change a VPS root or user password on Ubuntu with passwd, chpasswd and chage, verify it works, and get back in when SSH or the root password is lost.
MiMo-Code: Xiaomi's answer to Claude Code
What MiMo-Code actually is: Xiaomi's MIT-licensed terminal coding agent, forked from OpenCode. Read the self-reported benchmark claims before you switch.
Claude vs ChatGPT API: Which Is Cheaper?
Neither API wins every workload. Learn the token arithmetic once, then read three costed jobs and see exactly where the Claude bill runs higher.
Bento: the office suite in a single file
Bento is an MIT licensed office suite that ships as one HTML file. What that shape buys you on a small VPS, and what it costs against Nextcloud.
VPS Hosting in Canada: What Matters
Only one reason forces a Canadian server, and it is not latency. What PIPEDA really requires, and how to measure the round trip from where your users are.
Ponytail: the lazy senior dev agent skill
Ponytail makes a coding agent take the smallest change that works. What it ships, what its own benchmarks show, and how to copy the rule today.
What is an SSD VPS? Flash storage explained
An SSD VPS is a virtual server backed by flash, not spinning disks. What that buys is IOPS and low latency, plus three questions to ask before you buy.
How much is 1M tokens in Claude?
Claude bills per million tokens, input and output priced separately. Here is the arithmetic that turns a token count into a number on your monthly bill.
Does the Claude API have a free tier?
No free tier, a small credit at signup, and several parts that cost nothing at all. The July 2026 rates, plus a worked cost for a first small app.
Docker Compose cheat sheet for real servers
The Compose commands you reach for every day, grouped by job: lifecycle, applying changes, logs, shells, networks, volumes, and cleanup that is safe.
tty7: a terminal workbench for agents
tty7 is a Rust terminal workbench with a session daemon, native SSH and agent-aware panes. Install it, then see where tmux on the VPS still wins.
Memmy: a local memory hub for agents on a VPS
Memmy gives your AI agents one shared memory store. Build it from source on Ubuntu, run the memory service on port 18960, and keep every note local.
Restic vs BorgBackup: which one to run
Restic reaches S3 and object storage on its own. Borg wants its binary on the far end and pays that back with speed over SSH. How to pick, with commands.
How to learn AI agents, from scratch
A staged path for learning AI agents: concepts, a loop you write yourself, tools, memory, and safety, with one thing to build at every stage.
Proxmox at home vs renting a VPS
The real cost of a Proxmox box at home versus a rented VPS: hardware and power math, what each is better at, and the hybrid setup most people run.
PhotoPrism vs Immich: which photo server?
Two self-hosted photo servers compared: the real RAM floors, the phone apps, the maps, and the exact backup commands each one needs on a VPS.
Authentik: self-hosted SSO for your apps
Run Authentik on Docker Compose for one login across every app you host: the env values that matter, the akadmin bootstrap, and forward auth via Traefik.
Claude for students: what it costs in 2026
There is no individual student discount on Claude as of July 2026. Here is the free tier, the university route, and a coursework month costed on the API.
Claude free tier: what the limits actually are
What the Claude free plan includes, how its usage limits are counted and reset, why the API has no free tier, and when paying starts to pay off.
Claude Team pricing for a small business
Seat math for a 3 to 15 person team as of July 2026: standard and premium seat prices, when an API key beats a seat, and worked examples at 5 and 12 people.
Recall: give Claude Code a memory on a VPS
Recall is a fully local plugin that logs each Claude Code session and condenses it into a resumable summary. Set it up on a VPS and measure the saving.
Self-host Supabase on a VPS with Docker
Run the official Supabase Docker stack on a server you own: the secrets you must replace, what the fourteen services do, RAM needs, backups, and updates.
Self-host SearXNG: your own private search
Run SearXNG on your own VPS with Docker Compose: settings.yml, the limiter, nginx with TLS, and a JSON search API your own scripts can call.
Self-hosted recipe manager: Mealie on a VPS
Run Mealie on your own VPS with Docker Compose. Paste a recipe link and get clean steps, plus meal plans, shopping lists, nginx, TLS and backups.
VPS with GPU: when you actually need one
A GPU on a VPS buys batch throughput and room for large models. Quantized chat models, embeddings and Whisper small run fine on CPU. Start there, measure.
Self-hosted AI video generator: the reality
What open video models really produce in July 2026, the VRAM class each one needs, what a five second clip costs on a rented GPU, and when to use an API.
Keep secrets out of your AI agents
An agent holding your API keys can leak them in one tool call. Give it scoped short lived tokens behind a credential gateway, never the real keys.
What is loop engineering? A definition
Loop engineering means designing the trigger, boundary, verification and budget an AI agent repeats, instead of writing one clever prompt. A plain definition.
AGENTS.md and HUMAN.md, explained
AGENTS.md is the README your coding agent reads. What belongs in one, what never does, how CLAUDE.md fits, and a starter template to copy.
wg-easy: WireGuard with a web UI in Docker
Run WireGuard behind the wg-easy web UI with Docker Compose: the ports, NET_ADMIN, the sysctls that matter, and QR code onboarding for phones.
Docker Compose with multiple files
How compose.override.yaml loads on its own, what file order really merges, the ports trap that keeps a port open, and include for a dev and prod split.
The arr stack in one Docker Compose file
Run Prowlarr, Sonarr, Radarr and qBittorrent from one Docker Compose file on a VPS, with the shared PUID, PGID and volume layout that keeps hardlinks working.
MinIO: self-hosted object storage on a VPS
Run MinIO on one Ubuntu 24.04 VPS for an S3 API you own: verified binary install, systemd unit, mc basics, presigned URLs, and a restic backup target.
Self-hosted GitHub Actions runner on a VPS
Register a self-hosted GitHub Actions runner on Ubuntu 24.04: dedicated user, checksum, config.sh, a systemd service, and the fork pull request risk.
Ansible playbook vs role: when to use each
When a flat Ansible playbook is enough and when a role earns its directories: the role layout, ansible-galaxy init, role calls, and variable precedence.
Listmonk: self-host your newsletter on a VPS
Install Listmonk on Ubuntu 24.04 with Postgres, config.toml, a systemd unit and TLS, then connect SMTP and understand what deliverability really costs.
How to benchmark a VPS properly
Benchmark a VPS properly: yabs.sh first, then fio, sysbench and iperf3 by hand. What the numbers mean, and why a single run tells you almost nothing.
SQLite in production on a VPS
SQLite is the right production database for most small apps on one VPS. WAL mode, busy_timeout, Litestream replication, and the limits that break it.
Headscale: self-host your own Tailscale
Run your own Tailscale control server on a VPS. Install headscale from the official .deb, set server_url before you start it, then join your first node.
WireGuard vs Tailscale vs Headscale
Tailscale is WireGuard plus a control plane. What that coordination server buys you, what it costs you, and which of the three belongs on your VPS.
WireGuard vs OpenVPN: which to self-host
WireGuard wins for almost every self hoster on speed, config size and audit surface. Here is the evidence, and the four cases where OpenVPN still wins.
What can you do with a VPS? 20 real uses
Twenty things people really run on a VPS, from websites and VPNs to photo storage, game servers and AI agents, with honest RAM needs for each.
VPS vs VPN: what is the difference?
A VPS is a computer you rent. A VPN is an encrypted tunnel for your traffic. What each one does, what each costs, and how one can host the other.
VPS vs VM vs VPC: what each term means
A VM is the technology, a VPS is that VM sold as a product, and a VPC is a private network in the cloud. Here is what each word implies, and which you need.
VPS vs dedicated server: which to rent
What really separates a shared hypervisor from a whole machine: noisy neighbours, steal time, price steps, and when each one is the cheaper buy.
VPS for trading bots: what actually matters
What a trading bot really needs from a VPS: restart discipline under systemd, a correct clock, safe API keys, heartbeats, and honest latency limits.
Self-hosted URL shortener with Shlink
Run your own URL shortener on a VPS with Shlink and Docker Compose: short domain DNS, Postgres, API keys, the web client, QR codes and click stats.
Self-hosted Notion alternatives, compared
AppFlowy, Outline, Docmost, BookStack and Obsidian compared on the axes that actually decide it: databases, collaboration, mobile and hosting weight.
Self-hosted AI image generator: real specs
The honest hardware ladder for running Stable Diffusion yourself: what a CPU VPS can do, what SDXL needs, ComfyUI install commands, and disk you should budget.
Paperless-ngx on a VPS: self-host documents
Run paperless-ngx on a VPS with Docker Compose: the official Postgres stack, PAPERLESS_URL, the consume folder, OCR languages, HTTPS, and backups.
Ollama vs vLLM: which LLM server to run
Ollama is a convenience layer for one user, on CPU if needed. vLLM is a throughput engine for GPUs. Pick by workload, with the real commands for both.
NVMe vs SSD VPS: does it matter?
NVMe beats SATA SSD on IOPS and latency, but on a VPS the hypervisor and your neighbours decide what you get. Measure your own with fio.
n8n vs Zapier vs Make: the self-host math
Zapier and Make bill per task. Self-hosted n8n bills a flat server cost. Work a real month of volume, find the crossover, and read the n8n license.
n8n AI agent: build one on your own VPS
Build a working AI agent in n8n: the AI Agent node, a Claude model credential, an HTTP Request tool, memory, a trigger, and the settings that cap cost.
How much does a VPS cost in 2026?
VPS prices run from about $3 to over $100 a month for specs that read the same. Here is what drives the gap, and what to compare before you buy.
Self-hosted RSS: install FreshRSS on a VPS
Install FreshRSS on your own Ubuntu VPS with Apache, PHP and MariaDB: the release tarball, virtual host, cron refresh, and the mobile app API.
Fix DNS over WireGuard: three failure modes
Your WireGuard tunnel is up but names do not resolve, or the queries leak to the local router. Find which of the three DNS failures you have, and fix it.
DuckDB vs SQLite on a server
SQLite holds transactional application state. DuckDB answers analytics over Parquet and CSV. Why one VPS usually runs both, with a worked example of each.
Docker Compose volumes: bind vs named
Bind mounts and named volumes in Docker Compose: which to use for config and for data, the file permission traps, and how to inspect, back up and migrate.
Docker Compose networking explained
The default project bridge, DNS by service name, when host mode is worth it, sharing one network across projects, and the published port that skips UFW.
Docker Compose memory limits that stop OOM
Set memory and CPU limits in Docker Compose so one greedy container cannot take down your VPS: deploy.resources, mem_limit, exit 137, swap, sizing.
Docker Compose healthchecks that work
How Docker Compose healthchecks are evaluated, why depends_on alone waits for nothing useful, and how to write readiness checks for Postgres and your app.
Docker Compose env files and secrets
Three different things get called an env file in Docker Compose. See how .env, env_file and environment differ, which one wins, and where secrets belong.
Docker Compose down vs stop
stop keeps your containers, down removes them and the project network, and neither one deletes a named volume. Only the volumes flag destroys data.
Docker Compose: auto-start on boot
Make Docker Compose services come back after a reboot: restart policies, why on-failure does not survive one, and when a systemd unit is right.
Give coding agents a disposable VM
AI coding agents belong on a machine you can destroy. Blast radius, clean state per task, snapshots, and the VPS pattern that keeps it cheap.
Claude Code vs Cursor, Codex and Copilot
Terminal agent, editor assistant or cloud agent? Compare Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and Copilot by how each one works, what they cost, and where a VPS fits.
Use Claude Code from your phone
Claude Code runs in tmux on a VPS and your phone is only the window. SSH keys, mosh for flaky mobile data, tmux attach, and the keyboard fixes that matter.
Can you self-host Claude? The honest answer
Claude's weights are not public, so no server of yours can run it. Here is what you can self-host instead: open models, a gateway, and Claude Code.
Self-hosted wiki: BookStack, Wiki.js, Outline
Three self-hosted wiki apps compared on setup weight, editing model, login options and search, with a clear pick for solo admins and for teams.
Ansible vs Terraform: which do you need?
Terraform creates the VPS, Ansible configures it. The real split, why provisioners fight both tools, the handoff commands, and when you need only Ansible.
Self-host Actual Budget on your own VPS
Run Actual Budget on a VPS with Docker Compose: the data volume, why the browser needs HTTPS, your first budget file, bank imports, and backups.
Is the Claude API cheaper than a subscription?
Metered API billing or a flat plan? Here is the break-even arithmetic on current per-token rates, and what moves it further than the plan fee does.
Claude Code context: stop slow, costly sessions
Every turn re-sends your whole context, so a long session slows down and costs more. Read /context, cut the fixed tax, then clear and compact with intent.
Which Claude model should I use? Cost guide
Opus 4.8, Sonnet 5 or Haiku 4.5? The July 2026 rates per model, a worked cost comparison on 100,000 jobs, and the settings that move a bill most.
Claude usage limits: what to do when you hit one
Switching models does not restore access. How Claude subscription session and weekly limits differ from API 429 rate limits, and what to do next.
AI agent cost control on an always-on VPS
An unattended agent bills every loop with nobody watching. Hard caps, task budgets, prompt caching, batching, and the usage fields that show the spend.
Claude for Finance Analysis: a Practical Guide
Use Claude to analyze stocks and options with live market data: a free no-key API, three ways to connect it, and copy-paste prompts that get grounded answers.
Best self-hosted AI agents in 2026
OpenClaw, Hermes, Dify, OpenHands, and Agent Zero compared: what each agent does best, what it needs, and how to run any of them safely on your own VPS.
Run Claude Code safely on a server
Claude Code can run any command your user can. What the skip permissions flag changes, and how to contain the blast radius, from sandbox to disposable VPS.
Traefik v2 to v3 migration: what breaks
Traefik v3 will not start while swarmMode or pilot is in the static config. Fix the incompatible deprecated static option found error, then migrate rules.
SSH key management basics
How SSH keys work and how to manage them: one ed25519 key per device, the permissions sshd demands, config Host blocks, and revoking a lost key.
Run OpenCode on a VPS
OpenCode is the most starred open source coding agent. Install it on a VPS, run it in tmux as an unprivileged user, and keep its API key locked down.
Restic backups: get your VPS data off the box
Restic sends encrypted, deduplicated backups from your VPS to another server or object storage, on a nightly timer, with a restore drill that proves it.
Docker bypasses UFW: why and how to fix it
Docker publishes container ports with iptables rules that skip UFW, so a denied port still answers the internet. See the mechanism and the fixes that work.
Certbot wildcard certificates with DNS-01
Issue a wildcard certificate with Certbot using the DNS challenge. How the TXT record proof works, which plugin to install, and how renewal stays automatic.
Docker Compose basics for your VPS
Install Docker Engine and Compose v2 on Ubuntu 24.04, write a real two-service compose.yml, dodge the ufw port-publishing trap, and back up volumes.
Install Certbot for Apache on Ubuntu 24.04
One command gives Apache a free Let's Encrypt cert on Ubuntu 24.04. Skip snap: apt ships Certbot 2.9.0. Plus the ServerName trap that blocks issuance.
Self-signed certificates on Ubuntu, done right
Mint a self-signed TLS cert Chrome actually accepts on Ubuntu 24.04: one openssl command with SAN, nginx/Apache wiring, and trusting it without curl -k.
Host a Minecraft server on a VPS
Run a Paper Minecraft server on an Ubuntu 24.04 VPS: RAM sizing, Java 21, a systemd unit, both firewalls on 25565, safe world backups, and the exact errors.
Manage multiple Linux servers: tools that work
SSH config, tmux, Ansible, Uptime Kuma, Zabbix and Webmin, ranked by how many servers you have: what each replaces, setup cost in minutes, the one gotcha.
Ansible tutorial: your first playbook on a VPS
Install Ansible with pipx on Ubuntu 24.04, write an inventory and a first playbook that hardens a fresh VPS, plus fixes for Permission denied and sudo errors.
Which Claude plan do you need in 2026?
Free, Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise? Match the 2026 tiers to the way you work: which plans include Claude Code, and when Team beats five Pro accounts.
Self-host Dify on a VPS with Docker Compose
Six containers, so budget 4 GB of RAM. Replace every secret in .env before you boot it, then create the admin account at /install before a stranger does.
Run MCP servers on a VPS for AI coding agents
Run Model Context Protocol servers on your own VPS so AI agents get real tools: stdio and remote HTTP transports, systemd, TLS, auth, and every failure mode.
Build your own AI agent on a VPS
An AI agent is a loop around a language model that can use tools. Learn the concepts behind building one on your own VPS: the loop, tools, MCP, memory.
Self-host n8n on a VPS: Docker + HTTPS
Run n8n on a VPS with Docker Compose, Postgres, and HTTPS behind a reverse proxy: the WEBHOOK_URL and encryption-key traps, plus every error string.
What are tokens in Claude? Code session costs
A Claude token is about 3.5 characters of text. Here is why one Claude Code turn bills 80,000 of them, and why five idle minutes make the next turn cost 5x.
Hermes Agent hosting: a $5 VPS is enough
Hermes needs no GPU: the model runs elsewhere, so a small VPS is plenty. Run it as its own user with ProtectSystem=strict in systemd, and cover IPv6 in UFW.
Mailcow on a VPS: self-host email Gmail accepts
Test outbound port 25 before installing mailcow: a block means mail never leaves the queue. Then set the DNS that stops Gmail's 550 5.7.25 PTR rejection.
Host Ollama on a VPS: self-host an LLM safely
A 7B model wants 8 GB of RAM and gives 4 to 10 tokens per second on CPU. Host one on a VPS and call it at 127.0.0.1:11434/v1, with port 11434 kept closed.
Self-host Rocket.Chat with Docker Compose
Self-host Rocket.Chat on a VPS with Docker Compose: the single-node MongoDB replica set it requires, TLS, backups, and every failure mode fixed.
What to self-host in 2026: 25 apps
A curated list of 25 self-hosted apps worth running in 2026, grouped by job, with what each one replaces, honest RAM and disk needs, and the gotcha to know.
Jellyfin on a VPS: stream your own media
Run Jellyfin in Docker on a VPS to stream your own library: block storage, media permissions, direct play vs CPU transcoding, and safe remote access.
Vaultwarden on a VPS: self-host passwords
Self-host a Bitwarden-compatible password manager with Vaultwarden and Docker on a VPS: HTTPS-first, admin token, Fail2ban, tested backups.
Immich self-hosting: 6 GB RAM and safe upgrades
The honest RAM number, port 2283 behind HTTPS, the exit 137 memory kill, and why Immich v3 will not start on a pgvecto.rs database. Restore steps included.
Ubuntu 24.04 unattended-upgrades: on by default?
Ubuntu Server 24.04 ships unattended-upgrades, but 20auto-upgrades turns it on. Automatic-Reboot stays false, and a dry run shows what it would install.
Run a coding AI agent on a VPS
Run Aider or Goose on a VPS to code from your terminal, connected to a hosted or a self-hosted Ollama model. Setup, model sizing, and safety.
Install Fail2ban on Ubuntu 24.04: stop SSH bots
On Ubuntu 24.04 a plain apt install already bans SSH brute force. The fail2ban-client status sshd output proves it, plus the fix when Total failed stays at 0.
Build an AI agent with Claude on a VPS
Use Claude as the brain and your VPS as the body. How the Messages API, tool use, and MCP fit together to build an AI agent you run yourself.
Zabbix monitoring on Ubuntu 24.04
Install Zabbix 7.0 LTS on Ubuntu 24.04: add the repo, import the MySQL schema, wire up the nginx frontend and agent2, then fix every error the setup throws.
The world's least efficient datacenter: a guide
A strictly hypothetical guide to the least efficient datacenter possible: one beloved server, RAID 0, heat as a strategy, and a monitor that watches itself.
What ports are and how Linux services listen
A port is how a server sorts incoming traffic to the right service. Learn to read what is listening with ss, and tell a local port from a public one.
Webmin on Ubuntu 24.04: install and secure
Install Webmin on Ubuntu 24.04, then lock it down: SSH tunnel or IP allowlist, a real Let's Encrypt cert, two-factor, and Fail2ban on port 10000.
Uptime Kuma: self-hosted status monitoring
Run Uptime Kuma in Docker to monitor websites, ports, DNS and cron jobs, alert via email or Telegram, and publish a status page from a separate VPS.
UFW and IPv6: the open door on your VPS
Your UFW rules and cloud firewall may only cover IPv4, leaving services wide open on IPv6. See why it happens on a VPS and how to close the gap.
UFW firewall basics: set up a VPS firewall
UFW is the simple way to run a firewall on a VPS. Set a default-deny policy, allow only the ports you need, and turn it on without locking out SSH.
Run a program as a systemd service on a VPS
A systemd service keeps your program running: start on boot, restart on crash, log to the journal. How to write one, add a timer, and harden it.
SSH hardening on a VPS
Lock down SSH on your VPS: switch to key-only login, disable root and passwords with a drop-in config, and layer Fail2ban and a VPN on top.
Self-host OpenHands on a VPS
OpenHands is an AI agent that writes and runs code, so its setup needs care. Install it on a VPS with Docker and lock down the Web UI and its secrets.
Self-host Agent Zero on a VPS
Agent Zero runs code, a browser, and a shell from a Web UI, so exposing it carelessly is dangerous. Set it up on a VPS and lock the Web UI down.
Run OpenClaw safely on a VPS
OpenClaw runs shell commands and browses the web, so a careless setup is dangerous. Harden it on a VPS: unprivileged user, firewall, secrets, systemd.
Run Gemini CLI on a headless VPS
Run Google's Gemini CLI on a headless VPS: a current Node, a no-sudo global install, browserless API-key auth, and tmux so long tasks survive SSH drops.
First 10 minutes on a new VPS
A new VPS is a target from its first minute. This ten-minute runbook creates a user, sets SSH keys, disables root, and turns on the firewall.
Linux vs Windows Server: which to run
A practical comparison of Linux and Windows Server: cost, footprint, remote management, web stacks, Active Directory, and when each is right.
Linux vs FreeBSD for servers
A fair comparison of Linux and FreeBSD as server systems: base design, licensing, packages, ZFS and jails, containers, and where each one wins.
Run services as an unprivileged user
Running a service as root turns one bug into full server access. Give each service its own unprivileged account, or let systemd do it with DynamicUser.
LAMP stack on Ubuntu 24.04 with PHP-FPM
Build a full LAMP stack on Ubuntu 24.04: Apache, MariaDB with unix_socket auth, PHP 8.3 with PHP-FPM, a name-based vhost, and free HTTPS via Certbot.
FreeBSD 15 for servers: what makes it good
FreeBSD 15 is a serious server operating system: ZFS, jails, pf, and one coherent base system. Here is what it does well and where it fits.
Cloudron vs CasaOS vs Coolify on a VPS
Cloudron vs CasaOS vs Coolify on a VPS: install commands, TLS, backups, cost, and resource overhead compared, so you pick the right self-hosting panel.
Claude + n8n: build AI workflows on a VPS
Connect Claude to n8n on your own VPS: an integration guide with credentials, model choice per node, three worked AI workflows, cost math, and common errors.
Claude API tutorial: your first app on a VPS
Get a Claude API key, secure it on Ubuntu 24.04, ship a Python log-explainer with streaming, typed error handling, and real cost control.
Build your own OpenClaw-style AI agent
OpenClaw is a personal AI agent that runs commands on your own server. Here is how one is built, piece by piece, and why hardening comes first.
Run Claude Code on a remote VPS with tmux
Run Claude Code on an always-on Linux VPS inside tmux so agent sessions survive a dropped SSH connection. Install, harden, and the failure modes to expect.
VPS nested virtualization: can you run Proxmox?
Most VPS hosts hide the vmx flag. Check yours with kvm-ok in one minute, then run KVM or Proxmox guests, with the exact error strings you will see.
Traefik reverse proxy: 5 apps, one Compose file
Run five apps behind one IP with Traefik v3 on Docker Compose: routing by Host rule, automatic Let's Encrypt TLS, and the acme.json trap that blocks startup.
Install Certbot for nginx on Ubuntu 24.04
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx, then one certbot --nginx run for a Let's Encrypt cert. Plus apt vs snap and the port 80 renewal timeout.
Self-host a WireGuard VPN on your VPS
Set up WireGuard on your own Linux VPS: key generation, wg0.conf, IP forwarding, NAT, AllowedIPs semantics, DNS, and the handshake failures that bite.
Run Nextcloud on a VPS: Docker, TLS, backups
Run Nextcloud on your own VPS with Docker Compose, Postgres, Redis and a TLS reverse proxy, plus the backup and upgrade steps that keep your data recoverable.