It all started with a snap!

As of today, I am running just over 70 docker containers (but no snaps) on my Ubuntu host server whirring away in my electronics cabinet. I run my own DNS with Pihole, I stream my movies with Jellyfin, I automate my home with Home Assistant, I serve my own push notifications with Ntfy and the list goes on. I self-host all these services today but it all started with "sudo snap install nextcloud".

In the beginning I used almost all of Nextcloud's services. It seemed that there would be a Nextcloud app for anything I wanted. However as I learnt more about the Unix mindset I found myself drawn to little FOSS projects with narrow goals and limited but complete functionality.

Initially I used all of the core Nextcloud features: I used the photo manager, I used their webmail client, I used the RSS reader and the password manager. As I learnt more about the self-hosted FOSS ecosystem I shed the training-wheels of the all-in-one snap package and replaced it with Immich, Roundcube, FreshRSS and Vaultwarden.

Eventually I migrated away from the Nextcloud snap entirely and now have it setup in a series of docker containers. In the beginning I installed Ubuntu when I didn't know any better (not that its all that bad but as of right now I would prefer to simply use Debian as a simple docker host). Without Ubuntu I would never have gotten off the ground so quickly and, arguably, I may have never made it this far at all.

Canonical's snap packages are not universally liked but for me at least it will have a special place in my heart.

TLDR;

I would never have tried Linux if it wasn't for Ubuntu.

I would never have tried snaps if it wasn't installed by default on Ubuntu.

I would never have tried Docker if Ubuntu didn't prompt at install time (as a snap).

If I hadn't tried Docker I would not have understood the benefit of Docker compose.

Without Docker compose I could not have accumulated my hoard of self-hosted treasures!

Posted in: s/homelab

🚀 Bazmatazable

2023-12-14 · 5 months ago · 👍 yvonne, xavi, webi_bbs_geminispace_org, Miragal_Ensum · 🤘 1

3 Comments ↓

🕹️ skyjake [...] · Dec 14 at 10:22:

Convenience and ease-of-use are big advantages in any solution. One can object on technical or philosophical grounds, but sometimes it's important to allow just taking that first step.

Good luck with your self-hosting endeavors!

🏕️ bjnaved · Dec 15 at 13:34:

Thanks for writing this up! This was just the push I needed to take a look at my antiquated Nextcloud home server setup and add some services I've been slacking on. Last night after I saw your post, I was easily able to set up gogs and trilium using docker compose. Cheers and happy hacking!

🚀 Bazmatazable [OP] · Dec 15 at 15:13:

Your welcome for the inspiration! Just when I thought I was getting to my peak number of containers and now I'm taking a look at gogs and trilium ......... another couple of rabbit holes to explore......