Ayush Pande writes about how his Proxmox server became more useful after he stopped treating LXCs as Docker containers. Coming from a Docker-only background, he initially tried to manage LXCs as ephemeral, single-app environments, but realized they are fundamentally system containers that run a full userland (systemd, SSH, cron) and require managing the underlying OS just like a lightweight VM. Once he shifted his approach, his home lab's utility improved significantly.
- LXCs are system containers running a full userland, unlike Docker's single-process application containers
- Proxmox developers do not recommend Docker-in-LXC; live migration can break nested container environments
- VMs are the preferred Docker hosts from a security standpoint
- On low-spec hardware (e.g., a decade-old laptop), Docker-in-LXC can still make the box usable for experimental services
- LXCs are system containers running a full userland, unlike Docker's single-process application containers
- Proxmox developers do not recommend Docker-in-LXC; live migration can break nested container environments
- VMs are the preferred Docker hosts from a security standpoint
- On low-spec hardware (e.g., a decade-old laptop), Docker-in-LXC can still make the box usable for experimental services
An exploration of Technitium DNS Server, a powerful free and open-source tool that serves as an all-in-one solution for home network management. Unlike traditional setups that require multiple separate tools like Pi-hole for ad-blocking, Unbound for recursive resolution, and a dedicated DHCP server, Technitium integrates these functions into a single, easy-to-manage platform. It offers advanced features such as encrypted DNS, internal DNS zone creation for local devices, split horizon support, and native clustering for redundancy.
Koffan is a self-hosted grocery list application designed for simplicity and real-time updates, ideal for families. It's lightweight enough to run on a Raspberry Pi Zero W, offering a private and efficient alternative to subscription-based grocery list apps.
This article details how the author uses a local LLM to summarize Docker logs and other home lab logs, providing proactive insights into their self-hosted setup and improving maintenance.
The article discusses 5 self-hosted services (NetBox, Harvester, Terraform, Ansible, and Kubernetes) that the author finds useful in their home lab despite being potentially overkill for typical setups. It details the benefits and use cases for each service, highlighting how they enhance the author's tinkering and learning experience.
Gotify is a notification server that pulls alerts from other applications and pushes them to its neat UI. It's a useful addition to a home lab setup, especially for monitoring self-hosted services like Uptime Kuma, TrueNAS Scale, and Proxmox.
The article discusses Apple Container, a new tool for running Linux containers on macOS, comparing its performance and efficiency to Docker Desktop. It highlights its ease of setup on Silicon Macs, compatibility with Dockerfiles, and potential as a lightweight alternative for home lab enthusiasts.
