#self-host

As the internet gets more and more impossible to use with handing over id, i really want to learn how still use it without handing over my info. But i really don't have much technical knowledge, the most I can do is converting youtube videos to mp3s lol

if theres any advice you can offer for starting to learn anything about, as you put it, being a lord or a lady in this age of digital feudalism i would appreciate it so much

I hope this isn't too annoying of an ask and hope you have a great day :)

You guys can always send asks with tech questions, I don't mind pointing you in the right direction. I don't know the tech background of all my followers, so please ask a follow-up if something was too complex. I am not an expert but I have some experience.

Key Points:

DO NOT GIVE IN

DO NOT GIVE UP

just pause and try something else for a bit if u get stuck :)

You don't need to understand everything. Like in the beginning in the middle or ever.

Avoid most generative AI answers that do not provide a direct link for each code snippet or instruction set.

I like Brave Search and the AI out of any I have used. All AI anywhere will make things up; Do not pin your hopes on it, but it can guide you to the next safe landing spot.

You need to get COMFORTABLE with Linux.

You don't need to learn everything. But be open to going "how the fuck does this work on Linux?? Oh okay, I guess. *search* '[distro] install gitgud but the terminal called me gay'. Oh okay, so versions after 2021 are homophobic but versions earlier than 2016 inject black death. Try the 2020 LTS edition :)"

I would strongly recommend stopping for a bit to see what the 'wall' is if you get stranded somewhere:

Are you missing information you need to do more research on?

What in the heck is a 'docker'?

Wait, Linux isn't just one thing? Why are there more than one?

Why won't XYZ see my device, or use it properly? What driver?

u guys can just send asks here for help. I probably can't fix most things u break but I can help see where you need to go next.

If you don’t know about network security yet please don’t expose anything to the open internet. Keep it within your local router and use a VPN that you host (Tailscale, Wireguard, OpenVPN)

All i wanna do is be able to edit my trilium next notes from my phone. I'm quickly realizing that I'm missing fucking 500 different steps in between where I am and just getting the fucking server connection.

i thought it was just a matter of getting a home server type deal set up. i was already getting a nas (a synology one because building one would just add too many complications at once and atleast a branded one would have more documentation, Right?)

right now I am stuck in a nexus of casually used terms that I dont even know where to begin trying to understand.

I'm just looking for some kinda fucking syllabus? for what I'm missing between where i am and where i wanna be at the very least. I'm probably idiot number 1000 going too aspirational too quick but I genuinely wanna learn this stuff and I am unmotivated by things that aren't actually going to be of use to me.

im just stuck in that hell where you try to look shit up and get stuck with everything being redditor chuds chorttling as your misfortune or feeling like you've been forcibly made into a third party of xkcd 2501. im very used to when I go to chat and get help from people with tech being like this, or getting people who are genuinely confused on how far I've managed to get without understanding whatever term they've just thrown at me, so I feel like going to any irc chat or anything is just gonna go the same.

so yeah, triliumnext on a server to be interacted with through a mobile device? for a person who has never interacted with docker? for the average github pleb that has to use a gui for yt-dlp? i dont really know how to conceptualize my level of knowledge here.

Sure no prablem

“All i wanna do is be able to edit my trilium next notes from my phone.”

Do you already have an instance of Trillium installed somewhere and have existing notes that you wish to view on mobile? Or are you trying to make yourself a new setup that you can use on mobile too? Instructions for each are below.

“i was already getting a nas (a synology one because building one would just add too many complications at once and atleast a branded one would have more documentation, Right?)”

Yeah for the most part I would strongly recommend starting with something prebuilt. Synology is a good choice from what I hear (never used). Other options could be QNAP or Netgear (idk if they make new ones still).

If you build one, I’d say wait until you have some hands-on time with RAID or zfs, unless you just plan for single drive. I use TrueNAS Scale (linux based, normal TrueNAS is BSD based instead), OpenMediaVault is often shouted to be a much easier entry compared to full blown TrueNAS (shares, permissions, jails, oh god) if you build something yourself, but it is very powerful. Sharing a folder with Windows 10/11 or a desktop Linux distro is a quick-start.

“right now I am stuck in a nexus of casually used terms that I dont even know where to begin trying to understand.”

This happens to me all the time. Once I start to get mad about it, I pull the tab to a new window. Then I just to selecting and searching all the dumb TechTalk and weird terms in new tabs. I end up with a new window where tab 1 is some thread page, and tabs 2-10 are Wikipedia pages other threads 2 minutes youtube tutorials and reddit explainers.

“I'm just looking for some kinda fucking syllabus? for what I'm missing between where i am and where i wanna be at the very least.”

It can be helpful to segment concepts in ur mind, like ‘general compute’, ‘networking’, ‘security crypto’, ‘linux/unix/posix folder structure and commands’.

Youtube homelab/self-hosting channels can fun and informative to grasp concepts, but it is VERY difficult to try to track down information afterwards and videos get outdated VERY quickly. Reddit/r/SelfHosted, Reddit/r/homelab, and Reddit/r/HomeServer are fun to browse and see other simpler questions that have been asked. General chat about devices, preferred OSes, upgrade pathing, showing off what they have and explaining how they set it up.

Jeff Geerling, TechnoTim, Hardware Haven.

Mental Outlaw talks about more high level things, but he can be approachable I think. Michael MJD is more longer entertainment style videos, but they do help give a ‘feel’ to certain tech things. Reject Convenience is less technical but can help visualize the basics.

Uhhhh ask questions on Reddit or forums at your own risk… honestly I’d ask Brave AI first and see how close it got me. Also u guys can send an ask like “why is Docker not just an Ubuntu VM?”, “why is this asking about DHCPv4 and subnet 255?”, “how the heck do I install this .deb file over ssh?”, ”What is SMB/CFS and why do I not use NFS?”, “How do I change something in an .env file?”. I worked in IT as a junior IT tech and I was constantly explaining older tech concepts to my gen Z coworker and explaining new self-host style concepts to my boomer 90s tech bubble boss.

“for a person who has never interacted with docker? for the average github pleb that has to use a gui for yt-dlp? i dont really know how to conceptualize my level of knowledge here.”

I like using a whiteboard to flowchart things how I think they work. Digital whiteboards can work pretty well I’ve found. A simple MS Paint canvas and the paint brush and text tool work wonders. MS Visio, Draw.net, Excalidraw, GIMP/Photoshop canvas and some PNG dolls like a tumblr user. Also I only use GUI / web apps for ytdl stuff: Metube, Pinchflat, JDownloader2

Run a server at home on your Raspberry Pi! 🚀 Learn how to get a public URL for your Pi without complex port forwarding or network setup using Tunnelmole. https://softwareengineeringstandard.com/2025/07/14/raspberry-pi-server/ #raspberrypi #homeserver #selfhosting #opensource #programming

Self Hosted now. New Address.

Hi everyone, new address for my writing. Check it out here!

I’ve gotten tired of the free WordPress, so I’ve moved to self-hosting.

Visit my new site here!