Self-hosting is the opposite of using a 3rd party cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive, and instead to host an equivalent service, like Nextcloud, on their own hardware. For every popular cloud service there is probably an independently developed open source equivalent one can host on their own hardware. Self-hosting gives one control, and peace of mind that their private information is not being sold to others, and it can save a lot of money from service fees that aren't paid. The personal security implications are huge, since it is known that governments around the world are pressuring internet services for data on user activity. While there is a legitimate need to know about criminal activities, do we really need to risk our data being snooped upon?
Why self-host web services for more control and lower cost than cloud-based web services
Self-hosting is about hosting Internet services on your computers, controlled by you. This is different from just Using the Cloud by signing up for services like Dropbox, Github, Travis, or other 3rd party controlled services. Instead of taking the easy path, just using cloud services, self-hosters have control over their data, and enjoy lower costs. For most commercial services there are equivalent open source alternatives you can host on your own hardware.
Self-hosted Docker infrastructure in home or office using low-cost computers like Intel NUC
Using Docker, and a simple small computer, you can build a powerful computing "cloud" in your home, on your desktop, at low cost, giving you control over your data. If you need more power, adding another computer or three to the mix quickly adds more capabilities. For almost any popular 3rd party service like Github, Dropbox, and Trello, there is an open source package that might even be better. With open source operating systems, open source packages like Gitea, Nextcloud, and Kanboard, you gain control over your destiny.
Installing a self-hosted Docker Registry to aid Docker image development
When developing Docker images it's useful to store them in a Docker registry. While using Docker Hub is free, it's bad form to fill up that shared resource with images built for personal use. It's better to only publish the Docker images that are truly useful to everyone, and that have documentation. That leaves us with the problem of a location to host our own Docker images. Do we pay for a private repository somewhere? Or, as a self-hoster, do we host a local Docker Registry to store our personal Docker images? In this post let's explore the latter idea.
Setting up Docker for an easy-to-configure self-hosting environment
Self-hosting is about hosting Internet services in an easy-to-manage environment. Docker is an excellent tool for managing these kind of services since it is easy to reuse software packages, and it has a fairly strong security barrier around those packages. In many cases we'll just need to install and configure the Docker container. But to ease the task we need a well organized system for managing configuration files, data directories, and other stuff associated with running several Docker containers.
How to install NextCloud using Docker Compose: a comprehensive guide
NextCloud is open source software implementing the equivalent to Google Drive, Dropbox, and the like. Beyond file sharing, it supports document editing, calendars, email, and is attempting to compete with the full breadth of Google Workspace services. It can be self-hosted on your own server, giving you privacy you don't get from commercial cloud services.
About the Author(s)
David Herron:
David Herron is a writer and software engineer focusing on the wise use of technology. He is especially interested in clean energy technologies like solar power, wind power, and electric cars. David worked for nearly 30 years in Silicon Valley on software ranging from electronic mail systems, to video streaming, to the Java programming language, and has published several books on Node.js programming and electric vehicles.
