Self-Hosting Series: Intro

Requirements

• Software
  • A Linux distro (Guide is based on Debian)
  • Root access (or a user with sudo privileges)
  • A basic understanding of Linux commands
• Hardware
  • A good ol' computer (laptop or desktop)

Intro

The cloud is convenient, but self-hosting gives you full control over your data, enhances security, and often reduces costs. This guide kicks off a series on self-hosting, covering everything from setting up a Linux server to deploying services like password managers, media servers, and cloud storage solutions.

In this first guide, we’ll walk you through preparing a Linux server—laying the foundation for secure and reliable self-hosted applications. Whether you’re using a dedicated server, VPS, or a home server, these steps will ensure your system is optimized, secure, and ready for deployment.

Step 1: Connect to Your Server via SSH

If you’re using a remote VPS or dedicated server, connect via SSH:

ssh user@your-server-ip

For a local machine, just open a terminal.

Step 2: Update/Upgrade the System and install essential tools

Ensure your server has the latest security patches:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Next we will install some essential tools:

sudo apt install curl wget git unzip -y

Step 3: Create a New User (For Security)

Using the default root user is risky. Create a new user and assign privileges:

adduser <yourusername>
usermod -aG sudo <yourusername>
passwd <yourusername>

Now lets add our new user to the sudo group:

sudo usermod -aG sudo <yourusername>

Now switch to the new user:

su - <yourusername>

Note: Do not forget to change the “yourusername” with a name of your own choosing.

Step 4: Configure SSH for Security

Edit the SSH configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Uncomment the following:

PermitRootLogin no  
PasswordAuthentication no  

Save and restart SSH:

sudo systemctl restart ssh

Step 5: Reboot and Verify Everything

That’s it! Reboot and test your new security key.

sudo reboot

After rebooting, reconnect via SSH and verify system access.

That’s it! We finished the basic configuration of our personal server.

Next Steps in This Series

With our Linux server configured, we are ready to self-host applications. In the next guides, we’ll cover:

✅ Install & configure containers using Docker and Portainer. (part 2)

✅ Setting up a Cloudflare tunnel.

✅ Connect our server to our private vpn secure access.

✅ Hosting your own media server (Jellyfin/Plex),password manger and many more!

Stay tuned as we turn your server into a powerful self-hosted ecosystem! 🚀