Self-hosting means running your own services instead of paying monthly subscriptions to companies that control your data. This resource collects every TechnoStalls guide on building your own server, deploying applications, and replacing cloud services with software you own and control.
You do not need a computer science degree or a rack of servers to start. A Raspberry Pi, an old laptop, or a small mini PC is enough to replace Google Photos, block ads across your entire network, and access your home from anywhere in the world.
Getting Started
These foundational guides give you the knowledge and tools to run any self-hosted application. Start here if you have never run a server before.
Docker Compose for Beginners – The essential skill for self-hosting. Learn to install Docker, write compose files, deploy containers, and manage updates on any hardware.
Raspberry Pi Home Server 2026 – Build a complete home server on a Raspberry Pi. Run Nextcloud, Home Assistant, Pi-hole, Plex, and Paperless-ngx without monthly fees.
Privacy and Security
Control who accesses your network and block unwanted tracking across every device in your home.
Pi-hole Setup Guide 2026 – Block ads and trackers at the DNS level on every device connected to your network. Docker and bare metal installation with optimized blocklists.
Tailscale VPN Setup – Create a secure private network that connects your devices anywhere in the world without port forwarding, dynamic DNS, or complicated firewall rules.
Best Password Managers 2026 – Bitwarden, 1Password, and Apple Passwords compared. Includes self-hosted Vaultwarden as the privacy-first alternative.
Cloud Replacements
Every subscription you cancel is money back in your pocket and data back under your control. These guides walk you through replacing specific cloud services with self-hosted alternatives.
Immich: Self-Hosted Photos – Replace Google Photos with Immich. Automatic mobile backup, face recognition, map view, and NAS storage. Your photos, your server, zero monthly cost.
Obsidian Notes for Beginners – Why power users left Notion behind. Markdown-based notes with local storage, linking, and a plugin ecosystem that runs without sending your data to any server.
Productivity and Knowledge
Obsidian Notes Guide – Build a personal knowledge management system with markdown, daily notes, bidirectional linking, and community plugins.
Where to Start
If you have never self-hosted anything, start with the Docker Compose guide. Docker is the single skill that unlocks everything else. Once Docker makes sense, deploy Pi-hole as your first real application because the results are immediately visible on every device in your home.
When you are ready for a bigger project, the Raspberry Pi server guide walks you through building a multi-service home server, and Immich gives you the most satisfying cloud replacement: all your photos, backed up automatically, with zero subscription fees.