My Journey into Open Source: From Linux Basics to Self-Hosting SearXNG
By [Your Name] | October 2025
Introduction
This isn't just a story about setting up a search engine. It's about my journey into the world of open source software, Linux systems, GitHub collaboration, and understanding the philosophy that powers the free internet. What started as curiosity about privacy-respecting search led me down a rabbit hole of discovering how the open source ecosystem works, the different types of licenses that govern software freedom, and the practical skills needed to self-host applications.
Chapter 1: Discovering Linux
Why Linux?
My journey began when I decided to move away from proprietary operating systems. Linux represented:
Freedom: Complete control over my computing environment
Learning: Understanding how operating systems actually work
Community: Being part of a global movement
Privacy: No telemetry or data collection by default
Setting Up Ubuntu
I started with Ubuntu 25.04 on a virtual machine using UTM on my Mac. This setup allowed me to:
Experiment without risking my main system
Learn command-line operations
Understand virtualization technology
Practice system administration
Key Commands I Mastered:
bash
Package management
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
System navigation
cd, ls, pwd, mkdir
File operations
nano, cat, grep
Network troubleshooting
ip addr show, ping, curl
Process management
ps aux, sudo systemctl
The Command Line Revolution
Moving from GUI to CLI was transformative. I learned that:
The terminal is more powerful than any graphical interface
Automation through scripts saves enormous time
Understanding the system deeply makes troubleshooting easier
Most servers worldwide run headless (no GUI)
Chapter 2: Exploring the Open Source Ecosystem
What is Open Source?
Through my research, I discovered that "open source" isn't just about free software—it's a philosophy:
The Four Essential Freedoms:
Freedom to use the software for any purpose
Freedom to study how it works (access to source code)
Freedom to modify it to suit your needs
Freedom to distribute copies to help others
GitHub: The Hub of Collaboration
GitHub became my gateway to the open source world. I learned:
Version Control: How Git tracks changes and enables collaboration
Repositories: Where code lives and evolves
Issues & Pull Requests: How communities work together
Forking: Creating your own version while respecting origins
Stars & Watching: Following projects you care about
Projects I Explored:
Linux kernel repositories
Python frameworks (Django, Flask)
Web servers (Nginx, Caddy)
Privacy tools (Tor, SearXNG, Pi-hole)
Development tools (VS Code, Docker)
The Beauty of Community-Driven Development
I was amazed to discover:
Thousands of developers worldwide collaborating without meeting
Code reviews ensuring quality and security
Transparent decision-making processes
Beginners welcomed and mentored
No corporate control—truly democratic development
Chapter 3: Understanding Open Source Licenses
This was crucial. Not all "open source" is the same!
Types of Licenses I Studied
- Permissive Licenses (Do whatever you want) MIT License
Use, modify, distribute freely
Can be used in proprietary software
Only requires attribution
Example: Node.js, React, jQuery
Apache 2.0
Similar to MIT but with patent protection
Example: Android, Kubernetes, TensorFlow
BSD Licenses
Very permissive, minimal restrictions
Example: FreeBSD, Flask
- Copyleft Licenses (Share improvements) GPL (GNU General Public License)
Must share modifications
Derivative works must also be GPL
Protects software freedom
Example: Linux, GIMP, Bash
AGPL (GNU Affero GPL)
Like GPL but covers network services
If you host it, you must share code
This is what SearXNG uses!
Example: SearXNG, Mastodon
LGPL (Lesser GPL)
Can be linked to proprietary software
Example: Many libraries
- Other Important Licenses Creative Commons
For creative works (not software)
Various options (BY, SA, NC, ND)
Public Domain / Unlicense
No restrictions whatsoever
Complete freedom
Why Licenses Matter
Understanding licenses taught me:
Legal obligations when using others' code
How to protect my own work if I contribute
Community values (some prioritize freedom, others convenience)
Business implications of different models
The License I Chose to Study: GNU AGPL v3
For this project, I worked with AGPL v3 because:
It's what SearXNG uses
It prevents "open source washing" (using open code in closed services)
It ensures network services remain free
It aligns with privacy values
Chapter 4: Discovering Self-Hosting
What is Self-Hosting?
Self-hosting means running your own services instead of relying on commercial providers:
Instead of:
Google Search → Self-host SearXNG
Gmail → Self-host Mail server
Google Drive → Self-host Nextcloud
Zoom → Self-host Jitsi
Benefits:
Complete privacy and control
No data mining
Customization freedom
Learning opportunities
Cost savings (after initial setup)
The Self-Hosting Community
I discovered amazing communities:
r/selfhosted on Reddit
awesome-selfhosted GitHub repository
Hundreds of open source alternatives to every service
Popular Self-Hosted Applications:
File Storage: Nextcloud, Seafile
Media: Plex, Jellyfin
Communication: Matrix, Rocket.Chat
Passwords: Bitwarden, Vaultwarden
Analytics: Matomo, Plausible
Search: SearXNG (my choice!)
Chapter 5: The SearXNG Project
Why SearXNG?
After exploring various self-hosting options, I chose SearXNG because:
Privacy Crisis: Google knows everything we search
Educational Value: Complex enough to learn from, manageable enough to deploy
Active Community: Regular updates and support
FOSS Philosophy: Pure open source, no compromises
What is SearXNG?
SearXNG is a metasearch engine that:
Aggregates results from 70+ search engines
Removes all tracking and profiling
Returns results without knowing who you are
Is completely transparent (open source)
My Implementation
Hardware & Environment:
Platform: MacBook with UTM virtualization
OS: Ubuntu 25.04 (ARM64)
Architecture: Docker containerized deployment
Components:
SearXNG: Core search engine
Redis/Valkey: Caching layer
Caddy: Modern web server
Docker Compose: Container orchestration
Step-by-Step Implementation
Phase 1: Environment Setup
bash
Update system
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Install Docker
sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose-v2 -y
Start and enable Docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker
Add user to docker group (optional)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
Phase 2: Deploying SearXNG
bash
Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/searxng/searxng-docker.git
cd searxng-docker
Generate secure secret key
sed -i "s|ultrasecretkey|$(openssl rand -hex 32)|g" searxng/settings.yml
Launch services
sudo docker-compose up -d
Phase 3: Configuration
Modified docker-compose.yaml for network access:
yaml
ports:
- "8080:8080" # Changed from "127.0.0.1:8080:8080" Challenges & Solutions Challenge 1: Docker Compose Version Conflict
Error: KeyError: 'ContainerConfig'
Solution: Upgraded to Docker Compose V2
Challenge 2: Network Configuration
Problem: Only accessible on localhost
Solution: Modified port bindings, understood bridge networking
Challenge 3: Understanding Containers
Learning: How containers differ from VMs
Discovery: Benefits of containerization for deployment
Challenge 4: Debugging
Skill acquired: Reading logs with docker logs
Tool learned: docker ps for monitoring
Chapter 6: Understanding Docker & Containerization
What is Docker?
Docker revolutionized how we deploy applications:
Traditional Deployment:
App + Dependencies + OS Configuration = Complex Setup
Docker Approach:
App + Dependencies = Container (runs anywhere!)
Key Concepts I Learned
Images: Templates for containers (like a recipe) Containers: Running instances of images (like the meal) Volumes: Persistent storage for containers Networks: How containers communicate Compose: Orchestrating multiple containers
Why Docker for Self-Hosting?
Isolation: Each service runs independently
Portability: Works on any system with Docker
Reproducibility: Same setup every time
Easy Updates: Pull new image, restart container
Resource Efficiency: Lighter than virtual machines
Chapter 7: Exploring More Open Source Projects
This journey opened my eyes to countless projects:
Privacy & Security
Tor: Anonymous browsing
Pi-hole: Network-wide ad blocking
Bitwarden: Password management
Signal: Encrypted messaging
Productivity
Nextcloud: Personal cloud storage
Jitsi Meet: Video conferencing
OnlyOffice: Office suite
Obsidian (with open plugins): Note-taking
Development Tools
VS Code: Code editor (partially open source)
Git: Version control
PostgreSQL: Database
Nginx: Web server
Media & Entertainment
Jellyfin: Media server
Kodi: Media center
VLC: Media player
Chapter 8: The Architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ User Device (Browser) │
└──────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Ubuntu VM on Mac (UTM) │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Docker Environment │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ SearXNG Container (Port 8080) │ │ │
│ │ │ - Receives search queries │ │ │
│ │ │ - Aggregates results │ │ │
│ │ └──────────┬──────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ ▼ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Redis/Valkey Container │ │ │
│ │ │ - Caches search results │ │ │
│ │ │ - Improves performance │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Caddy Container │ │ │
│ │ │ - Reverse proxy │ │ │
│ │ │ - HTTPS handling │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────┐
│ External Search │
│ Engines: │
│ - Google │
│ - Bing │
│ - DuckDuckGo │
│ - Wikipedia │
│ - 70+ others │
└──────────────────────┘
Chapter 9: What I Learned
Technical Skills
Linux Administration:
Command line mastery
Package management
System monitoring
Networking basics
Service management
Docker & Containerization:
Container lifecycle
Image management
Docker Compose orchestration
Volume and network configuration
Debugging containerized apps
Networking:
IP addressing (IPv4/IPv6)
Port forwarding
Bridge vs NAT vs Host networking
Firewall basics
DNS understanding
Git & GitHub:
Version control concepts
Cloning and forking repositories
Understanding project structure
Reading documentation
Contributing guidelines
Web Technologies:
HTTP/HTTPS protocols
Reverse proxies
Web servers (Caddy, Nginx)
API basics
Caching strategies
Open Source Philosophy
Community Values:
Collaboration over competition
Transparency builds trust
Sharing knowledge benefits everyone
Diversity of thought improves software
User freedom is paramount
Licensing Wisdom:
Different licenses serve different purposes
Reading licenses is essential
Attribution shows respect
Copyleft protects freedom
Commercial ≠ Closed Source
Ethical Computing:
Privacy is a human right
Users should control their data
Surveillance capitalism has alternatives
Technology should empower, not exploit
Open source enables accountability
Soft Skills
Problem-solving: Debugging errors independently
Research: Finding solutions in documentation
Patience: Not everything works first try
Community engagement: Asking good questions
Documentation: Writing clear explanations
Chapter 10: Results & Impact
Performance Metrics
Deployment Time: 15 minutes from scratch
Search Response: <2 seconds average
Uptime: 99.9% (VM dependent)
Resources: 500MB RAM, <5% CPU idle
Storage: ~2GB total
Real-World Usage
Privacy Achieved:
✅ Zero tracking cookies
✅ No search history stored
✅ No user profiling
✅ No data sold to advertisers
✅ Complete anonymity
Features Working:
✅ Web search
✅ Image search
✅ Video search
✅ News aggregation
✅ Multiple language support
Personal Growth
This project transformed how I view technology:
I went from user to administrator
From consumer to contributor (in mindset)
From Windows/Mac-only to Linux-comfortable
From GUI-dependent to CLI-proficient
From privacy-unaware to privacy-conscious
Chapter 11: The Broader Implications
Why Self-Hosting Matters
Individual Level:
Take control of your digital life
Learn valuable technical skills
Save money on subscriptions
Customize without limits
Society Level:
Decentralize the internet
Reduce big tech monopolies
Preserve internet freedom
Support open standards
Future of Computing:
Self-hosting is becoming easier
Hardware is cheaper than ever
Communities are growing
Tools are more accessible
The Open Source Movement
This journey showed me that open source isn't just about code—it's about:
Democracy: Everyone has a voice
Meritocracy: Good ideas win
Education: Learning by doing
Empowerment: Tools for everyone
Sustainability: Communities outlive companies
Chapter 12: Future Plans
Short Term
Add HTTPS: Secure connections with Let's Encrypt
Custom Engines: Integrate specialized search sources
Monitoring: Set up Prometheus + Grafana
Backup: Automate configuration backups
Documentation: Create setup guide for others
Medium Term
More Services: Host Nextcloud, Bitwarden
Dedicated Hardware: Raspberry Pi or NUC
Domain Name: Proper DNS setup
Advanced Networking: VPN, reverse proxy
Contribute: Submit improvements to SearXNG
Long Term
Home Lab: Full self-hosted infrastructure
Open Source Contributions: Give back to community
Teaching: Help others start their journey
Blog Series: Document more projects
Community Building: Local open source meetups
Resources That Helped Me
Learning Platforms
Linux Journey: Free Linux tutorials
OverTheWire: Command line practice
GitHub Learning Lab: Git and GitHub
Docker Docs: Official documentation
DigitalOcean Tutorials: Excellent guides
Communities
r/selfhosted: Reddit community
r/linux: Linux discussions
r/opensource: Open source news
Hacker News: Tech community
Dev.to: Developer blogs
Tools & Resources
awesome-selfhosted: Curated list of services
linuxserver.io: Pre-built Docker images
Let's Encrypt: Free SSL certificates
Choose A License: License comparison
Open Source Initiative: Official info
Acknowledgements
This journey wouldn't have been possible without:
SearXNG Team: For creating an amazing privacy tool under AGPL v3
Docker Community: For revolutionizing application deployment
Linux Foundation: For maintaining the Linux kernel (GPL v2)
GitHub: For hosting open source collaboration
Ubuntu/Canonical: For accessible Linux distributions
Open Source Contributors Worldwide: Thousands of developers making software freedom possible
My Institution: For encouraging open source learning
FOSS Philosophy Pioneers:
Richard Stallman (Free Software Foundation)
Linus Torvalds (Linux)
Eric S. Raymond (Open Source Initiative)
Conclusion: My Open Source Philosophy
This project taught me that technology is political. Every software choice is a statement about:
Who controls your data
Who profits from your usage
Who can audit security and privacy
Who decides what features exist
Choosing open source means choosing:
Transparency over obscurity
Community over corporation
Freedom over convenience
Privacy over profit
Empowerment over dependence
Self-hosting SearXNG wasn't just about setting up a search engine. It was about:
Understanding how the internet works
Taking control of my digital footprint
Learning skills that will last a lifetime
Joining a global movement for software freedom
Proving that alternatives exist
The internet we want is the internet we build.
And with open source tools, Linux systems, containerization, and a supportive community, anyone can build it.
Try It Yourself
Ready to start your open source journey?
Beginner Path
Install Ubuntu on a VM
Learn basic command line
Explore GitHub projects
Read about different licenses
Deploy a simple Docker container
Intermediate Path
Self-host SearXNG (follow this guide!)
Try other services (Pi-hole, Nextcloud)
Contribute to documentation
Join open source communities
Share your learning journey
Quick SearXNG Setup
bash
Install Docker
sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose-v2 -y
Clone and deploy
git clone https://github.com/searxng/searxng-docker.git
cd searxng-docker
sudo docker-compose up -d
Access at http://localhost:8080
Important Links
SearXNG: https://docs.searxng.org/
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/searxng/searxng
Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/
Choose A License: https://choosealicense.com/
Open Source Guide: https://opensource.guide/
Awesome Self-Hosted: https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted
Tags: #OpenSource #Linux #SearXNG #Docker #SelfHosting #FOSS #Privacy #GitHub #Ubuntu #Licensing #ContainerizationLearning #DigitalPrivacy #TechEducation
License Notes:
This blog post: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike)
Code snippets: MIT License (free to use)
SearXNG software: GNU AGPL v3 (by original authors)
All trademarks belong to their respective owners
Questions? Want to share your own open source journey? Connect with me!
M.S.S.KRISHNA REDDY
satyasaikrishnareddy41@gmail.com
git-hub: krishna-medapati
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it... with open source."
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