I'm looking to self-host several applications on my home network, but I'm not very familiar with Docker and need some advice. I'll be hosting Stremio addons for media, a Minecraft server, Foundry for TTRPGs, Home Assistant for my smart home, and I also want to sync my Obsidian vault over the internet. I understand that Docker allows for setting up containers for each of these applications. Is it easy to do, and what kind of hardware would I need? I have a spare PC I could use, but I'm unsure if that's sufficient. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
Running Home Assistant in a container does have some limitations, but it can work fine. I have Home Assistant running on an old HP Chromebox that I upgraded. Just remember that not all add-ons might be available when using it in a Docker container versus on bare metal, so you might need to do a bit of research on specific add-ons you're considering.
I run 14 containers on a Raspberry Pi 4 with 8GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, and one of those is Home Assistant. If you're new to it, I recommend starting with a cheap PC or Raspberry Pi to experiment. It's a fun way to learn!
Yeah, it’s super easy to set up! Just dive in, and if you need help, don't hesitate to use tools like ChatGPT for guidance.
I’ve been using Docker Desktop on Windows, and honestly, it’s a hassle. Switching to Docker on Ubuntu has been way smoother for me, so consider that if you run into issues.
Docker is definitely a great tool for what you're trying to do, especially as a beginner. Just make sure to secure your services properly—don’t use simple passwords for Home Assistant! For a novice, it might actually be easier to run Home Assistant in a VM instead of a container because it can get a bit complicated as you start out. But once you get the hang of it, containers will be a breeze!
I’ve been running HA in a container since I started, and I haven’t missed any features so far. Most of the add-ons I use are available as standalone containers.