Spandan Sehgal

Posted on Dec 17

Stop letting bloated web tools slow down your workflow (and RAM) 🛑

#docker #productivity #webdev #tutorial

As a student developer, my patience for loading spinners is zero. Why wait for a "Free" cloud tool to sync (and sell your data) when you can run a powerhouse locally?

Self-hosting isn't just for people with a massive home lab. It’s a power-user move to reclaim your productivity. 🚀

Here is my $0 Self-Hosted "Power Stack" and the exact guide to getting it running in 10 minutes.

📦 The "Power-Tool" Lineup

1️⃣ Bookstack (Documentation)
My "Brain-in-a-Box." 🧠 Instead of messy folders or scattered Notion pages, it uses a "Bookshelf" metaphor that actually makes sense for project wikis and PCM study notes.

2️⃣ Stirling-PDF (The PDF "Swiss Army Knife")
The absolute king of PDF tools. 🛠️ Merge, split, OCR, sign, and convert - all locally. No more "3 free tasks remaining" warnings or uploading sensitive docs to random sites.

3️⃣ Jotty (Checklists & Notes)
The Database-Free productivity hub. ⚡ Ultra-fast, lightweight, and stores everything in simple files. Since there's no heavy SQL database, it's incredibly portable.

🚀 From Zero to Hero: The Setup Guide

Forget complicated server setups. We’re using Docker Compose. It’s the magic wand that turns a single text file into a fully running suite of applications.

🛠️ The Prerequisites

A Computer: Your current laptop (Windows, Mac, or Linux) is perfect.
Docker Installed: Install Docker Desktop.

📝 Step 1: Create Your "Homelab" Folder

Open your terminal and run:

mkdir my-power-stack
cd my-power-stack

📄 Step 2: The Magic "Recipe" File

Create a file named docker-compose.yml in that folder and paste this code.
⚠️ **Note:* Change the passwords marked below before saving!*

version: "5.0"
services:
  # 📚 Bookstack (Documentation & Wiki)
  bookstack:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/bookstack:latest
    container_name: bookstack
    environment:
      - APP_URL=http://localhost:6875
      - DB_HOST=bookstack_db
      - DB_USER=bookstack
      - DB_PASS=supersecretpassword # CHANGE THIS!
      - DB_DATABASE=bookstackapp
    volumes:
      - ./bookstack_data:/config
    ports:
      - 6875:80
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - bookstack_db

  # The database for Bookstack
  bookstack_db:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/mariadb:latest
    container_name: bookstack_db
    environment:
      - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=rootpassword # CHANGE THIS!
      - MYSQL_DATABASE=bookstackapp
      - MYSQL_USER=bookstack
      - MYSQL_PASSWORD=supersecretpassword # CHANGE THIS!
    volumes:
      - ./bookstack_db_data:/config
    restart: unless-stopped

  # 📑 Stirling-PDF (Your Local PDF Tools)
  stirling-pdf:
    image: frooodle/s-pdf:latest
    container_name: stirling-pdf
    ports:
      - 8080:8080
    restart: unless-stopped

  # ✍️ Jotty (Checklists & Notes)
  jotty:
    image: fccview/jotty:latest
    container_name: jotty
    ports:
      - 3000:3000
    volumes:
      - ./jotty_data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

🚀 Step 3: Ignite the Engine

In your terminal, run:

docker-compose up -d

Docker will pull the images and start everything in the background.

🎉 Step 4: Access Your Tools

📚 Bookstack: http://localhost:6875 (Login: admin@admin.com / password)
📑 Stirling-PDF: http://localhost:8080
✍️ Jotty: http://localhost:3000

💡 Why This is a "Student Developer" Superpower

You just built a personal suite that is:

Yours: No one else has your data.
Free: $0 licensing costs.
Portable: Move to a new laptop? Just copy the my-power-stack folder and run the command again.

This isn't just about taking notes; it's about taking control of your digital environment. That's an engineering mindset. 🛠️

Want more dev-tool deep dives? > I’m building a community for student developers to master local-first workflows and open-source hacks. 📩 Be among the first to join my Substack: Subscribe here

👇 Did you get it running? Let me know in the comments if you hit a snag or what your first Bookstack page is going to be!

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