An Introduction to Self-Hosting: A Beginner’s Guide

Discover the world of self-hosting, take control of your data, learn the benefits, best practices, and security considerations. Get started with essential tips from r/selfhosted.

Close up technologies

What you’ll build / learn

Discover the concept of self-hosting, explore popular applications like NextCloud and WordPress, and access resources in the r/selfhosted community.

Why it matters

Self-hosting allows users to take control of their data, enhance privacy, and tailor services to their preferences.

Prerequisites

No specific prerequisites are required to start exploring self-hosting, but basic knowledge of server management and data security is beneficial.

Step-by-step

  1. Explore the concept of self-hosting and its benefits.
  2. Choose an application to self-host, such as NextCloud or WordPress.
  3. Access resources like the subreddit wiki and community lists for guidance.

Best practices & security

Back up your data regularly, apply least privilege access, keep applications updated, and prepare for failure modes to enhance the security of your self-hosted services.

Common pitfalls & troubleshooting

If facing issues, verify configurations, check system logs, and seek help from the r/selfhosted community for troubleshooting and guidance.

Alternatives & trade-offs

Consider the trade-offs between self-hosting and using cloud services, evaluating factors like maintenance effort, data control, and privacy considerations.

What the community says

According to the r/selfhosted community, self-hosting provides unparalleled control over data and services, supported by resources like the subreddit wiki and curated lists.

Source: discussion (r/selfhosted)