Free self-hosting and Linux automation tools

Tools

• docker-compose to quadlet converter

  Turn a compose file into .container, .volume, .network and .pod files for systemd.

• docker run to quadlet converter

  Paste a docker run command, get a .container file that systemd can start at boot.

• cron to systemd timer converter

  Paste a crontab line, get a working .timer and .service pair plus the command to enable it.

• systemd unit explainer

  Paste a unit file or quadlet to get every key explained and its mistakes flagged.

• Caddyfile generator

  Fill in a form, get a valid Caddyfile for reverse proxies, static sites and redirects.

• WireGuard config generator

  Generate wg0.conf, client configs, keys and QR codes, entirely in your browser.

• chmod calculator

  Convert file permissions between 755 and rwxr-xr-x, with a plain-English explanation.

• Shell command explainer

  Paste a command to see what each flag, pipe and redirection does, and whether it is dangerous.

• df, du and free explainer

  Paste df, du or free output to see which disk is full, what takes the space and whether memory is really low.

• rsync and tar backup command builder

  Pick a folder and a destination; get the backup script, a dry run, a nightly systemd timer and the restore command.

• SSH key and config helper

  Set up SSH key login step by step: create the key, copy it, get a short ssh name, then switch off passwords safely.

• firewalld port helper

  Choose a port or service and who may connect; get the firewall-cmd commands, how to check them and how to undo them.

• fstab generator for NAS shares

  Enter the NAS, the share and a folder; get the fstab line, the credentials file and the commands to test it safely.

• cron schedule builder

  Click together a schedule in plain words and get the systemd timer, the cron line and the next 5 run times.

• journalctl command builder

  Tick what you want to see in the systemd journal and get the journalctl command, with every flag explained.

• find and grep command builder

  Click together a find or grep command, see what every flag does, and preview before you delete anything.

Quadlet examples

Tested quadlet files for real self-hosted services, each with the reasons behind its layout. All quadlet examples

• whoami quadlet

  The hello world of quadlets: one tiny web server as a systemd user service.

• Media stack pod: Radarr, Sonarr, Lidarr, Prowlarr, NZBGet, Bazarr

  Six media apps in one rootless pod that talk over localhost and share one /srv/media folder.

• Lidarr next to an existing media pod

  Lidarr as a standalone quadlet that joins an existing media stack without touching the pod.

• Jellyfin with Intel Quick Sync

  A rootless Jellyfin media server with hardware transcoding on an Intel iGPU.

• Seerr (Jellyseerr) media requests

  A request page where Jellyfin users ask for films and series, handed to Radarr and Sonarr.

• UniFi Network Application and MongoDB pod

  An app and its database in one pod, with the passwords in podman secrets instead of the unit files.

• AdGuard Home quadlet

  A network-wide DNS ad blocker as a rootful systemd service that starts at boot.

• Caddy reverse proxy quadlet

  Automatic HTTPS in front of your other containers, with certificates kept in a named volume.

• ntfy with systemd OnFailure alerts

  A private ntfy server plus one drop-in that sends a push alert whenever a user service fails.

• Gatus status page

  Uptime checks for every service, written as YAML, with a status page and ntfy alerts.

• Homepage dashboard with login

  A start page for every service, with live widgets and a login, and no docker socket.

• NetAlertX network monitor quadlet

  A LAN device scanner that alerts on new devices, using the host network and raw sockets.

• changedetection.io quadlet

  A website change monitor with its data in a named volume you can back up in one command.

• Recyclarr v8 on a systemd timer

  A daily one-shot sync of TRaSH guide profiles and minimum sizes into Radarr and Sonarr.

• restic backups with an offsite cloud copy

  Nightly restic snapshots of every container volume, plus a daily one-way copy to the cloud.

Linux basics for self-hosters

Short guides to the commands a home server needs, each linked to the tool that does the typing. All Linux basics guides

• Rolling or fixed release

  Pick a distribution by how it updates, not by its wallpaper, and know how long it gets security fixes.

• zypper, dnf and apt compared

  Install, upgrade, search and clean up packages on openSUSE, Fedora and Debian/Ubuntu without guessing.

• Desktop environments compared

  Tell KDE Plasma, GNOME, Xfce and friends apart, pick one that suits you, and try another without reinstalling.

• The directory layout

  Know where configuration, data, logs and programs live, so you know what to edit and what to back up.

• File permissions

  Read rwxr-xr-x at a glance, set it with chmod and chown, and fix the classic permission mistakes.

• Users, groups and sudo

  Create users, share files through groups, and set up sudo the way your distribution expects.

• find and grep

  Find files by name, size and age, search inside them, and delete old files without surprises.

• Disk space

  See which disk is full, find what filled it, and understand why df, du and btrfs disagree.

• Processes and resources

  Find what eats CPU or memory, stop a stuck program politely, and keep long jobs out of nohup.

• systemctl and journalctl

  Start, stop and enable services, then read their logs by unit, boot, time and priority.

• Network basics

  Find your address and interface, see which ports are open, set a static IP, and check DNS.

• Copy, sync and archive

  Copy and sync folders without surprises, pack archives with tar, and know what a real backup needs.

openSUSE home server setup

Set up an openSUSE Leap or Tumbleweed home server: why openSUSE, install, SSH, updates, snapper rollback, firewalld, rootless podman and quadlets. All openSUSE home server setup guides

• Why openSUSE

  Weigh openSUSE's rollbacks, tooling and podman support against its smaller community, and pick Leap or Tumbleweed.

• Install and first steps

  Install openSUSE with the choices that matter later, then update, name and check the new server.

• Users and SSH hardening

  Make sudo use your own password, log in with keys only, and lock down sshd without locking yourself out.

• Updates with zypper

  Use the right zypper command for Leap or Tumbleweed, finish the update properly, and keep extra repos in check.

• Snapper rollback

  Find the snapshot from before the problem, restore one file or the whole system, and keep snapshots from filling the disk.

• firewalld basics

  Read the current rules, open a service or port the permanent way, and limit it to the networks that need it.

• Rootless podman

  Give containers their own unprivileged user, make limits work with cgroup delegation, and avoid the session traps.

• Quadlet basics

  Write a .container file, let systemd generate the service, start it at boot, and debug it when it does not appear.

• AppArmor and SELinux gotchas

  Find out which security module you run, fix the usual container volume denials, and read the log instead of switching it off.

• Automatic updates

  Let the server patch itself on a schedule, reboot when needed, and tell you when something failed.

Cockpit on openSUSE

Run Cockpit on openSUSE Leap or Tumbleweed: install it, manage rootless podman quadlets and systemd units, and reach it safely over WireGuard. All Cockpit on openSUSE guides

• Install Cockpit

  Install Cockpit, enable its socket, decide who may reach port 9090, and get administrative access on the first login.

• The podman plugin

  Add the Podman containers page, see your rootless and rootful containers, and understand why some containers are missing.

• Quadlets and systemd units

  Start, stop and debug quadlet services from Cockpit, and know which tasks still belong in the terminal.

• Reach Cockpit over WireGuard

  Put the WireGuard interface in its own firewalld zone, allow Cockpit only there, and prove that the internet cannot reach it.

• Common gotchas

  Recognise the usual Cockpit problems on openSUSE by their symptom and fix them in a minute.