How to Self-Host a Reliable Backup in 2026 (Step by Step)
A practical guide to self-hosting backups with restic and rclone, covering the exact commands, version, and mistakes I made.
Tutorials
Self-hosting tutorials that list the command that failed first
Step-by-step guides for Docker, backups, reverse proxies and the rest of a small stack.
Every guide here was written on hardware I own: a 1-litre mini PC running Proxmox, and a Debian 13 VM where most of these services actually live. When a step depends on a version, the version is in the text, not implied.
I write down the part that broke. Most tutorials skip it — they show the happy path and leave you stuck at the first permission error. If a command failed for me, it is in the post with the error message and what fixed it.
Start here
How to Set Up a Reverse Proxy for Your Homelab with Caddy
A practical guide to using Caddy as a reverse proxy for a self-hosted stack, with automatic HTTPS, multiple subdomains, and the config mistakes I made.
Tutorials
How to Deploy a Self-Hosted App Stack with Docker Compose (2026)
A step-by-step guide to deploying multiple self-hosted services with Docker Compose, including networking, volumes, env vars, and the mistakes I made.
How to Self-Host a Monitoring Stack with Prometheus and Grafana
A practical guide to setting up Prometheus and Grafana for self-hosted monitoring, with a working config, alerting rules, and the mistakes I made.
How to Self-Host a Password Manager with Vaultwarden
A step-by-step guide to self-hosting Vaultwarden (Bitwarden-compatible), with Docker setup, HTTPS, backups, and the security mistakes to avoid.
How to Self-Host a Media Server with Plex or Jellyfin
A practical guide to choosing and setting up a self-hosted media server, comparing Plex and Jellyfin, with Docker config and remote access tips.
How to Self-Host a Git Server with Gitea
A step-by-step guide to self-hosting Gitea, a lightweight GitHub alternative, with Docker setup, SSH access, backups, and CI integration.
How to Self-Host a Smart Home with Home Assistant
A practical guide to setting up Home Assistant for a self-hosted smart home, with Docker config, device integration, and the mistakes I made.
How to Self-Host a NAS and Private Cloud with Nextcloud
A practical guide to setting up a self-hosted NAS and Nextcloud private cloud, with Docker, Samba shares, and the mistakes I made.
How to Self-Host an RSS Reader with Miniflux
A practical guide to self-hosting Miniflux, a fast and minimal RSS reader, with Postgres setup, keyboard shortcuts, and the reasons I moved off cloud readers.
Tutorials questions
What OS do these tutorials assume?
Debian 13 (trixie) for anything server-side, and Proxmox VE 8 on the host. Commands are usually identical on Ubuntu 24.04, but package names differ occasionally.
Do I need a NAS to follow along?
No. A mini PC with one SSD is enough for every tutorial here. A NAS only becomes useful when you want redundant disks, and that is a separate purchase with its own trade-offs.
Are the version numbers kept current?
I re-run the guides when a major version lands and update the post date at the top. If you hit a version that has moved on, the contact page is the fastest way to get it fixed.
Keep going
- Comparisons Choosing between two tools is a different job from installing one.
- Reviews Long-term notes on what actually held up after months of use.