OpenAlt field guides
Self-hosting guides that plan for day two
Installation is the easy part. These guides focus on the decisions that determine whether a service survives its first upgrade: storage, permissions, TLS, backups, verification, and rollback.
Automation
Run workflow automation on infrastructure you control, with durable data and a real recovery plan.
- Mealie Docker Compose: A Private Recipe Library You Can Restore
- Self-Host n8n with Docker Compose: A Production-Ready Setup
Password Managers
Choose and operate a password vault without confusing compatibility with official support.
- Self-Host Bitwarden: The Production Checklist Most Guides Skip
- Vaultwarden Docker Compose Setup: Secure It Before First Login
Photos
Deploy and protect self-hosted photo libraries without gambling on storage layout or backups.
- Immich Docker Compose Setup: Storage Choices You Cannot Fix Later
- How to Back Up Immich Without Losing Faces, Albums, or Photos
Media Servers
Build a reliable home media stack, from local playback to secure remote access.
- Audiobookshelf Docker Compose: Preserve Books, Metadata, and Listening Progress
- Navidrome Docker Compose: Fix Permissions Before Importing Music
File Storage
Operate private file sync and collaboration stacks with maintainable storage and databases.
- MinIO Docker in 2026: Audit the Image Before Rebuilding
- Paperless-ngx Docker Compose: Import Documents and Prove Recovery
Analytics
Understand the operational limits before bringing product analytics onto your own servers.
View all 1 guides →Developer Tools
Keep repositories and developer services recoverable, secure, and easy to upgrade.
- Gitea Docker Compose Setup: Repositories, SSH, and Backups Done Right
- Ollama Docker Compose Setup: Models, GPUs, and Network Safety
Infrastructure
Operate the proxies, control planes, databases, and observability services that make a self-hosted stack dependable.
- Homepage Docker Compose: Private Access, Host Checks, and Safe Widgets
- MariaDB Docker Compose: Private Networking and a Verified Restore
Communications
Run team communication infrastructure without treating identity, federation, calls, or recovery as afterthoughts.
- Self-Host Matrix Synapse: Decide the Domain Before Docker
- Self-Hosted Calendar: Pick CalDAV, a Full Suite, or Managed Cloud