Top Picks for Self-Hosted Open Source Software, Curated by Tech With Anirudh

# Open-Source

## [Coder](https://coder.com)
- **Description:** An open-source platform providing a remote development environment.
- **Remarks:** Golden, but takes too much RAM, and it's a dev environment not production.

## [EasyPanel](https://easypanel.io/)
- **Description:** Not provided.
- **Remarks:** Not opensource, so ...

## [Dokku](https://github.com/dokku/dokku)
- **Description:** A Docker-powered PaaS that helps you build and manage the lifecycle of applications.
- **Remarks:** Just Caprover without a UI.

## [Dockside](https://dockside.io/)
- **Description:** A browser-based containerized development environment supporting various hardware platforms and available via a multiarch Docker image.
- **Remarks:** Similar to firewood, not so active development.

## [Caprover](https://caprover.com/)
- **Description:** An extremely easy to use app/database deployment & web server manager for various applications including NodeJS, Python, PHP, ASP.NET, Ruby, MySQL, MongoDB, Postgres, and WordPress.
- **Remarks:** Looks good, solid. Active development.

## [Cloudron](https://www.cloudron.io/)
- **Description:** A platform that makes it easy to run web apps on your server and keep them up-to-date and secure.
- **Remarks:** Seems okay, but you can only install two apps for free, so it's bad. Also, not opensource.

## [Sandstorm](https://sandstorm.io/)
- **Description:** An open-source platform for managing self-hosted web apps.
- **Remarks:** Hard to use, tho.

## [Rancher](https://www.rancher.com/)
- **Description:** Open-source software for delivering Kubernetes-as-a-Service.
- **Remarks:** Kubernetes management, similar to portrainer. By SUSE

## [Yunohost](https://yunohost.org/)
- **Description:** An operating system aiming to simplify self-hosting.
- **Remarks:** Similar to Umbrel, CasaOS and Tipi. Huge list of apps.

## [Yacht](https://yacht.sh/)
- **Description:** A web interface for managing docker containers with an emphasis on templating to provide one-click deployments.
- **Remarks:** Not so good UI, but gets the job done. Not so active development.

## [CasaOS](https://casaos.io/)
- **Description:** An open-source home cloud platform aiming to help you quickly and easily establish your own smart home system.
- **Remarks:** Appears to be a simpler version of CapRover.

## [Umbrel](https://umbrel.com/)
- **Description:** An open-source homelabbing platform designed to help you quickly and easily deploy apps like Plex, Nextcloud and ext.
- **Remarks:** UI is very good, better version of casaos? Not so much apps, works good with portrainer. Not so active development

## [Portainer](https://portainer.io/)
- **Description:** A universal container management tool that provides a detailed overview of your Docker environments.
- **Remarks:** Free, docker management, UI is ok, has a learning curve, active development.

## [Proxmox](https://proxmox.com/)
- **Description:** A container management tool that doesn't have a so good UI, but ok.
- **Remarks:** Very popular, used in enterprise. Has a learning curve. Uses hypervisors.

## [Coolify](https://coolify.io/)
- **Description:** An open-source, self-hostable Heroku | Netlify alternative.
- **Remarks:** Seems good, Active development.

## [Tipi](https://www.runtipi.io/)
- **Description:** An open-source homelabbing platform designed to help you quickly and easily deploy apps like Plex, Nextcloud and ext.
- **Remarks:** UI is okay, better version of casaos? Ok list of apps. Active development

## [FreedomBox](https://freedombox.org/)
- **Description:** A community project to develop, design and promote personal servers running free software for private, personal communications.
- **Remarks:** Similar to Cloudron. Not so good.

# Videos
- [Video 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YgWaeq07As)
- [Video 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4rKWrH88F0)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qNWpdFqLIU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUZ_z71u9Ls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4rKWrH88F0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFm9z54TyT8

# Comparisons
- [Portainer vs Caprover](https://www.saashub.com/compare-portainer-vs-caprover)

# Articles
- [5 Turnkey Docker Operating Systems](https://noted.lol/5-turnkey-docker-operating-systems/)

# Resources
- [A Guide on Selfhosting - Mikeroyal](https://github.com/mikeroyal/Self-Hosting-Guide)

# More Alternatives
- [Caprover Alternatives](https://www.saashub.com/caprover-alternatives)

# Message
Hey everyone! I'm fairly new to the world of homelabbing and I'm torn between a few options. I've stumbled upon CasaOS and Umbrel, and I'm particularly drawn to Umbrel due to its user-friendly interface. However, I've noticed it's not as actively maintained. On the flip side, many seem to recommend CasaOS, though I've encountered some bugs and crashes with it, plus it doesn’t properly assign ports for apps which can be a bit of a downer.

In addition, I've come across other potential solutions like Proxmox, Rancher, Yacht, FreedomBox, Caprover, Dokku, and Easypanel which all seem promising. I've had the chance to experiment with Portainer on Umbrel, and also gave Dokku and Caprover a try separately. I’m leaning towards using Portainer on either Umbrel or CasaOS as I plan to shift my apps from Heroku to a local setup due to the lack of a free plan on Heroku.

I've also used plain Caprover and Dokku, but I'm still undecided on the best route to take. I'm open to any insights or advice from you all!

By the way, I have a spare laptop with 8GB RAM, along with a Raspberry Pi 3 and 4 at my disposal. I did catch a recent video recommending CasaOS, yet I’m still pondering on whether to pair Portainer with Umbrel, CasaOS with Umbrel, just use Portainer, or explore a different avenue altogether.

I’m diving into homelabbing with the goal of hosting my projects locally, and any guidance to help me navigate this would be greatly appreciated!

# Tried
- Caprover
- CasaOS
- Umbrel
- Cloudron
- Dockside
- Coder
- Portrainer
- Tipi

# To deep dive
- CasaOS
- Portrainer
- Dockside
- Caprover
- Tipi

# To Try
- Proxmox
- Coolify
- Yunohost
- Rancher
- Yacht

# Good for HomeLab UI
- Umbrel (Not so active in development) (No support for custom apps from docker)
- CasaOS (Sometimes renders in Chinese) (Demo not secure, at all) (Does not work with adblockers) (Support for custom apps from docker)
- Tipi (Very active dev) (Seems good) (No support for custom apps from docker)
- Yunohost (Not so good UI, but huge collection of apps) (Fairly active development)

# Good for selfhosting
- Caprover (UI can be improved) (Is good)
- Proxmox (Used in enterprise) (Learning curve) (Popular)
- Portrainer (Uses docker, to deploy custom apps) (Can mange existing containers) (Higher Learning Curve)
- Coolify (Uses docker) (UI is nice) (Active dev)
- Coder (Takes too much, ram. So not usable) (UI is good, Support is good) (Active dev)
- Yacht (Uses docker) (UI is bad) (Not so active or good)