this post was submitted on 10 Jun 2026
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Decide on one thing to do/replace. Google/Apple Photos (immich), Netflix (plex/jellyfin), home automation (home assistant)… I mean the list is extensive, but only you will know what you want to run.
Then choose an OS you think will work for you. CasaOS if you’re really a beginner. TrueNAS or Unraid in the middle. Proxmox for more advanced stuff.
Then don’t shy away from docker compose files. 1 click solutions are good, but at this stage what you need more than anything is to understand how things work. This will be very important when you’re hosting 10-20-50 things instead of 1 or 2. Using compose, install your service.
Finally when it doesn’t work or you see you’ve made a mistake, don’t be afraid to tear it down. Just assume that your first 3 setups are wrong for you. I started with an old laptop using truenas, and I’m up to 3 SFF pcs doing HA with proxmox and ceph. Do I suggest that my setup is the best? Hell no. But I’ve learned and grown into it.
Don't be afraid to do something because it won’t be perfect. It won’t be. But it will be a learning experience.
Oh and keep a backup of anything you don’t want to lose. Don’t feed your photos to immich and then nuke the server and lose all of them.