Running your own home server is one of the most rewarding things you can do if you care about privacy, control, and learning real-world infrastructure skills. Over the past year, I've been slowly replacing SaaS tools with self-hosted alternatives - all running neatly inside Docker containers.
Today I want to share my top 5 self-hosted apps that I use daily:
These tools cover notes, passwords, project management, and knowledge organization - basically my entire productivity stack.
Let's dive in.
Why I Self-Host Everything
Before getting into the tools, here's why I host my own services:
- Data ownership - My data stays on my hardware
- No subscriptions - One-time setup beats monthly fees
- Customization - I control updates, storage, and access
- Learning experience - Docker, networking, reverse proxies, backups
Everything below runs using Docker and Docker Compose on my home server, which makes upgrades, backups, and migrations painless.
1. Anynote - Simple, Fast Personal Notes
What it replaces: Google Keep / Apple Notes
Best for: Lightweight note-taking and quick ideas
Where: Android, Desktop (Windows) app
Anynote is a minimal and fast note-taking app that I use for quick thoughts, daily logs, shopping lists, and scratch notes.
Why I Like It
- Clean UI with no distractions
- Lightweight and fast even on low-power servers
- Markdown support
- Easy backups via mounted volumes
It loads instantly and doesn't try to become a "second brain system." Sometimes simple is exactly what you want.
2. Vaultwarden (Bitwarden) - Password Manager That Just Works
What it replaces: Bitwarden Cloud (or any password manager)
Best for: Secure password management
Where: Android, Desktop (Windows) App + Browser
Vaultwarden is hands down one of the best self-hosted services you can run.
It's a lightweight Rust implementation of Bitwarden's server and works perfectly with official Bitwarden clients on desktop and mobile.
Why It's Essential
- End-to-end encryption
- Works with browser extensions and mobile apps
- Extremely low resource usage
- Easy to secure behind HTTPS and 2FA
This was the first service I ever self-hosted - and I've never looked back.
If you host only one thing at home, make it this.
3. AFFiNE - My Notion Replacement
What it replaces: Notion
Best for: Knowledge bases, documentation, personal wikis
Where: Android, Desktop (Windows) App + Browser
AFFiNE is an open-source workspace tool that combines documents, whiteboards, and databases.
Think Notion + Obsidian + Miro - but self-hosted.
What Makes AFFiNE Awesome
- Block-based editing
- Whiteboard mode
- Local-first with sync
- Clean modern UI
I use AFFiNE for:
- Project documentation
- Learning notes
- Long-term knowledge storage
It's actively developed and improving rapidly, which makes it exciting to run.
4. Linkwarden - Bookmark Manager but better
What it replaces: Browser bookmarks, Pocket, Raindrop
Best for: Saving articles and resources
Where: Android, Browser
Linkwarden solved a problem I didn't realize I had: bookmark chaos.
Instead of losing links across browsers and devices, I now have a centralized searchable archive.
Why I Use It Daily
- Tagging and collections
- Full-page snapshots
- Searchable content
- Beautiful UI
It's perfect for:
- Development resources
- Tutorials
- Articles I want to revisit
- Reference material
It also integrates nicely with browser extensions for one-click saving.
5. Vikunja - Open-Source Task Management
What it replaces: Todoist / Trello
Best for: Tasks, projects, kanban boards
Where: Android, Browser
Vikunja is my go-to task manager. It's flexible enough to replace both simple to-do apps and full kanban boards.
Features I Love
- Lists, projects, and namespaces
- Kanban board view
- Due dates and reminders
- API and mobile app support
I use it to manage:
- Personal tasks
- Home server maintenance
- Learning goals
- Long-term projects
It's fast, reliable, and easy to self-host.
My Docker Setup (High Level)
All of these services run using Docker Compose.
Each service has:
- Its own container
- Mounted volumes for persistent data
- Reverse proxy routing (Nginx/Traefik)
- Automatic HTTPS via Let's Encrypt x
This setup gives me:
- Easy backups
- Simple upgrades
- Isolation between services
- Minimal downtime
Once you learn Docker basics, adding new services becomes trivial.
Resource Usage (Surprisingly Low)
One of the biggest myths is that self-hosting needs powerful hardware.
My stack runs comfortably on:
- 12GB RAM
- Low-power CPU
- SSD storage
Vaultwarden and Anynote barely consume resources, while AFFiNE and Linkwarden are the heavier ones - but still very manageable.
Final Thoughts
Self-hosting changed how I think about software.
Instead of asking:
"Which app should I subscribe to?"
I now ask:
"Which service should I host next?"
These five tools cover almost everything I need:
- Notes
- Passwords
- Knowledge base
- Bookmarks
- Tasks
If you're just starting out, I recommend this order:
- Vaultwarden
- Vikunja
- Linkwarden
- AFFiNE
- Anynote
Once you get comfortable, your home server quickly becomes your personal cloud.
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