There are so many options to get started with self hosting that I feel myself stuck in the “paralysis of choice”. For a novice, does anyone have a good resource for the equivalent of good/better/best paths that cover the “basics” (In my mind this is hosting images, music, video, connected home controls, search and email)?

Thinking something like first try path A, if you feel comfortable and your HW can handle A, then try path B, etc. I guess a it of a tutorial mode feeling where you get exposed to key boxing blocks initially and then you are released into the large open world on your own.

I know the advantage of this movement is the choice and the well distributed variety, but just feels hard to start.

I have an old laptop, an SFF workstation and a NAS to play with.

Any suggestions?

Edit: Thank you all for a very generous response. I knew this was a tough ask from the start because, by design, this area is vast and constantly evolving. A lot of great starting points here that I’m now considering.

  • dieTasse@feddit.orgEnglish
    1·
    14 hours ago

    There is already so many answers so maybe you won’t even read this, but the main point I think is just start, this is not valid only for self hosting but for any project. Just start doing something, anything and the path will draw itself. Doesn’t need to be correct or perfect, it just needs to be started. Maybe you can start with the old laptop. Have you tried linux yet? Try it because that will be a basis for your self hosting. Just get the vibe, use it for a while, install shit on it. Go through tutorials. Maybe you realize it would be cool to try and host a simple website on it, just for funzies, just on the local network, you will learn so much on it and half way through you will have a dozen other ideas… I know this advice may be vague, but just go with the first thing you see and you think to yourself “this would be cool to have/do” 😊