What I self-host
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
An engineer describes ditching streaming services for 30+ self-hosted apps on an Intel N100 Mini PC.
The author runs Jellyfin, Immich, Home Assistant, Vaultwarden, and 25+ other services on a Beelink S12 Pro with an N100, 16GB RAM, and a 6TB drive. They avoid exposing services to the internet (using VPN over IPv6) and prefer native Go binaries over Docker, using Podman only for complex stacks. Media is kept at 720p to reduce resource demand. The setup includes Caddy for reverse proxying, Gotify for notifications, Uptime Kuma for monitoring, and Audiobookshelf, Frigate, and Snapcast for audio/video distribution. The author values stability and lack of engagement-driven design over cloud services.
What commenters are saying
Commenters split into two camps: those who prefer native binaries for simplicity and those who favor Docker Compose for unified management, isolation, and easy upgrades. Several note that Docker Compose files serve as excellent documentation even if not used directly. A recurring point: systemd can orchestrate Docker Compose stacks, combining the best of both approaches. Some commenters argue self-hosting is a hobby akin to home brewing that will never reach mainstream adoption, despite being more accessible than ever. One commenter warns that AI-assisted hacking raises the bar for exposing services to the internet.