Self-host LinkSift, a yt-dlp web UI
LinkSift has no login and binds to localhost on purpose. Run it in Docker Compose, then put it behind Caddy with real auth or on a Tailscale node.
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Portainer on a VPS: Docker in a browser
Install Portainer CE on a Docker VPS, turn an existing compose file into a Stack, and handle the socket mount, the 9443 certificate and UI drift.
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.
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 compose up: what it does, flag by flag
What docker compose up decides for each service on every run, and how --wait, --build, --pull and --remove-orphans behave when a script or CI job runs 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.
Gluetun kill switch: when the VPN drops
Gluetun installs a real firewall kill switch inside its own network namespace. What your containers see when the tunnel dies, and how to prove it holds.
Docker UIs That Work With Rootless Docker
Which container UIs work when the Docker daemon is rootless: Portainer, Dockge, Lazydocker, Cockpit, Komodo, and the socket path that breaks them.
Install Discourse on a VPS with Docker
Install Discourse on a VPS with the official Docker launcher: RAM and swap, a real domain, SMTP, app.yml, the rebuild step, TLS and reverse proxies.
List the active firewall rules on Ubuntu
Three views of one ruleset on Ubuntu: nft list ruleset, iptables -L -n -v and ufw status. Find shadowed rules with counters and see why Docker skips ufw.
Self-host Hindsight agent memory on a VPS
Run Hindsight 0.10.2 on your own VPS with Docker: retain, recall and reflect behind loopback, an external Postgres, and the LLM choice that sets cost.
Run a UniFi controller on a VPS
Host the UniFi Network Application on a VPS: RAM sizing, Docker with MongoDB, Layer 3 adoption with set-inform, and the ports to keep private.
Where Nextcloud in Docker Stores Files
Find the Nextcloud data directory inside the container, the host path behind the volume, and everything else a restorable backup needs beyond user files.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Self-host an Outline VPN server on a VPS
Run the Outline VPN server, not the wiki app, on your own VPS. Install, access keys, the management API port, and what Shadowsocks does not hide.
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.
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.
Self-host Hister: your personal search engine
Run Hister on a VPS to search the full text of pages you visited and files you keep: binary and Docker installs, TLS, a login, and the MCP endpoint.
Docker prune: reclaim disk space on a VPS
Your VPS disk is full and Docker is holding it. Find which of images, containers, build cache or volumes has the space, then prune it without losing data.
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.
Databases in Docker, or on the host?
Running Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB or Redis in a container is fine in production. The risks are volumes, upgrades, backups and memory limits.
ARM VPS vs x86 VPS: what actually changes
ARM VPS plans usually cost less per core. The compatibility checks that decide whether your stack runs on arm64, and the commands that prove it.
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.
Self-host HarnessRouter: one agent API
Run Codex, Claude Code and Hermes behind one self-hosted API. The exact Docker deploy, the loopback bind, the default login you must change, and TLS access.
Route your VPS traffic through Tor
Install the tor daemon on a VPS, then send one process or one container through its local SOCKS proxy. Know what that hides and what it does not.
Why n8n keeps going offline on your VPS
Four different failures look like n8n going offline. Learn to tell the websocket banner, a restart loop, an out of memory kill and a dead schedule apart.
Self-hosted helpdesk and ticketing: how to pick
Which self-hosted helpdesk fits: FreeScout, osTicket, Zammad, GLPI or iTop, and how mail to ticket, agent count and SLAs decide it for you.
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.
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.
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 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.
Self-hosted diagram tools compared
draw.io, Excalidraw and Kroki on your own VPS: which parts never touch your server, and why that decides whether self-hosting buys you privacy.
Self-hosted budgeting apps compared
Which self-hosted budgeting apps pull bank transactions automatically, which need manual import, and how Actual, Firefly III, Fava and Wallos compare.
Self-host OpenBot AI coworkers on a VPS
Self-host OpenBot so each AI coworker gets its own container and browser. How the gateway decides every action, and what that costs you in RAM.
Self-host a disposable email inbox on a VPS
Catch every test email on a throwaway domain with Mailpit, read it in a web UI, and stop your staging app from ever mailing a real customer again.
Self-host Dify on a VPS with Docker Compose
Fifteen containers, 4 GiB of RAM minimum. Change the default passwords in .env before first boot, then claim the admin account at /install before anyone else.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gluetun Port Forwarding for Torrent Apps
Downloads work but nothing ever connects in. Set up gluetun port forwarding, push the new port to your torrent client on every reconnect, and verify it.
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.
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.
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.
Is Docker Compose deprecated?
The Python docker-compose reached end of life. The docker compose plugin did not, and it still ships releases. Here is what your server actually runs.
Docker Compose basics for your VPS
Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin on Ubuntu 24.04, write a real two-service compose.yml, dodge the ufw port-publishing trap, and back up volumes.
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.
n8n Timezones and Schedule Triggers
A self-hosted n8n reads three timezone settings, so a schedule trigger can fire hours off. Set TZ, GENERIC_TIMEZONE and the workflow zone right.
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-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.
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.
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.
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.
Vaultwarden vs Bitwarden self-hosted server
Bitwarden's standard 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.
Sonarr and Radarr login: there is no default
Sonarr and Radarr ship with no default username or password. Where config.xml lives in Docker, and how to reset a lost login in under a minute.
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 eleven services do, RAM needs, backups, and updates.
Self-host ntfy for server push alerts
Run ntfy on your own VPS behind TLS with Docker Compose. Lock topics with users and ACLs, then alert from cron and systemd OnFailure units.
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.
Mailcow on a VPS: self-host email Gmail accepts
Test outbound port 25 before installing mailcow: a block strands mail in the queue until it bounces. Then set DNS that stops Gmail's 550 5.7.25 PTR rejection.
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.
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 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 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: 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.
Self-hosted invoicing software compared
Invoice Ninja, InvoiceShelf, InvoicePlane, Kimai and ERPNext on one VPS: recurring billing, tax, client portal, payment gateways and licence terms.
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.
Fix SearXNG CAPTCHA errors from engines
SearXNG engines answer a VPS with CAPTCHA pages more often than a home connection. Read the real error, then pick a fix that survives a restart.
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.
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.
Run Tailscale in a Docker Compose Stack
The vendor Compose example leaves your app on a public host port. Use a Tailscale sidecar so the container has no published port, only a tailnet name.
Docker Compose down vs stop: what gets deleted
docker compose down removes containers and the project network; named volumes survive unless you add -v. docker compose stop deletes nothing.
Self-host a RustDesk relay server
Run RustDesk hbbs and hbbr on your own VPS: the Ed25519 key, pinned image tags, locked down ports, and the relay bandwidth your plan pays for.
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.
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.
Coolify vs Dokploy on a single VPS
Coolify drives servers over SSH while Dokploy runs on Docker Swarm. Learn where each control plane lives on one VPS or three, and how to back it up and leave.
Where Immich in Docker stores your photos
Immich splits originals, thumbnails, transcodes and the Postgres database across two host paths. Learn which folders are the only copy and how to move them.
Run just one service with Docker Compose
Update one container in a multi-service stack: docker compose up -d web, why depends_on still starts, --no-deps, start vs up, stop, and --scale.
Is Docker free? Engine vs Desktop vs Hub
Docker Engine on a VPS is free. Docker Desktop holds the licence: free below 250 staff and $10M revenue. Docker Hub pull limits are the one cost a VPS meets.
Postgres healthcheck in Docker Compose
The pg_isready healthcheck block for the official postgres image, why a socket probe lies on first boot, the TCP fix, and depends_on with service_healthy.
Restart or rebuild a Docker Compose service
Restart, up -d, rebuild or pull: which Docker Compose command picks up an edited compose file, a new .env, a changed Dockerfile or a new image.
SearXNG JSON API for Open WebUI search
Your SearXNG instance can feed web search to Open WebUI. Enable the JSON format, then hand the other container a URL it can actually reach.
Self-hosted web analytics: the VPS options
Plausible, Umami, Matomo, GoatCounter and GoAccess on a small VPS: RAM, database choice, disk growth, reverse proxy setup and the ad blocker gap.
Docker Compose build vs image on a VPS
The image key pulls a published tag. The build key makes one locally. What each means on a VPS, why compose up ignores your Dockerfile change, and the fix.