Guides
Step-by-step builds for running AI, automation, and services on your own hardware. Most have a matching short up top.
Run Claude Code and Codex Locally with OtoDock
Deploy OtoDock on your server to get local code generation without cloud API costs. Self-hosted alternative to Claude Code and GitHub Copilot.
Control a Dumb AC Unit with ESP32 and ESPHome
Wire an ESP32 to your window AC's remote control pins, then command it over your LAN using ESPHome. No Wi-Fi remote needed, total cost under $35.
Build a Local Game Library with EmulationStation
Skip Game Pass rentals. Set up EmulationStation on bare metal to own and play classic games from your own hardware, no subscriptions required.
Run Claude Code Locally with OtoDock
Deploy OtoDock on your own hardware to run Claude Code and Codex as local AI agents without paying per API call. Full self-hosted setup.
Self-host Claude Code agents with OtoDock
Run Claude's code execution engine on your own hardware. Replace the SaaS with OtoDock—a self-hosted agent framework that keeps your inference and execution local.
Self-host Kubernetes: escape the cloud tax
Run Kubernetes on your own hardware to replace managed cloud services. Deploy and scale containerized apps without paying AWS, Azure, or GCP monthly bills.
Archive YouTube channels with yt-dlp on bare metal
Set up automated YouTube video downloads on a homelab server using yt-dlp. Build a self-hosted archive that respects creators and keeps your content offline.
Run LLMs on Minimal Hardware with llama.cpp
Use llama.cpp to run quantized language models on constrained hardware. Optimize inference with GGUF formats and CPU backends for your homelab.
Tune Ollama for Real Performance: Memory, Quantization, and Hardware Hacks
Stop running LLMs at half-speed. This guide covers quantization levels, context windows, GPU offloading, and CPU tuning to squeeze real inference gains from Ollama on your own hardware.
Run rust-analyzer on your homelab for 100x less RAM
Deploy a self-hosted Rust LSP server on cheap hardware. Get IDE features—completion, refactoring, diagnostics—without melting your machine. Keep it on your LAN.
Run Ollama Locally: Skip Google's Cloud, Own Your AI
Deploy Ollama on bare metal to run open LLMs like Gemma 4 without API costs or cloud lock-in. Chat, code, and build with models on your own hardware.
Build Your First AI Agent with LangChain
Set up LangChain on bare metal to chain LLMs with tools and data sources. Run agents locally without cloud dependencies.
Run Qwen 80B on Mac with 4.3GB RAM using llama.cpp
Quantize and run large language models locally on Apple Silicon with minimal memory footprint. No cloud subscriptions, no API costs, full privacy.
Run Open WebUI for Private AI Chat on Your Hardware
Self-hosted AI companion using Open WebUI, Ollama, and local models. Full control, no cloud, works offline on your homelab.
Run Private AI Chat Apps with Ollama
Self-host conversational AI on your hardware using Ollama and community chat interfaces. No cloud, no API keys, full control over your models and data.
Self-host AutoGPT: build and run AI agents locally
Deploy AutoGPT on your own hardware to build, manage, and execute AI agents without cloud dependency. Control infrastructure, bring your own models, run agents on-demand or scheduled.
Run Stable Diffusion Locally on Bare Metal
Self-host text-to-image generation with Stable Diffusion v1 on your own GPU. Generate images from prompts without cloud APIs or subscriptions.
Run Fruit AI locally for video generation
Self-host Fruit AI on bare metal to generate fruit-themed videos without cloud dependencies. Keep it on your LAN.
Run Local LLMs on Bare Metal with Ollama
Install Ollama on Linux hardware, pull open models like Gemma, and serve them via REST API for private AI without cloud costs or data leakage.
Build AI Prompts for Business with Ollama
Run Ollama locally to generate business prompts—sales copy, emails, proposals—without cloud costs or API fees. Self-hosted, on your hardware, behind your network.
Run GLM 5.2 on AMD MI355X with vLLM
Deploy Alibaba's GLM 5.2 model on AMD MI355X GPUs using vLLM for 2600+ tokens/sec local inference with PagedAttention optimization.
Run Bonsai 27B Locally with Ollama
Get a capable 27B parameter AI model running on your hardware with Ollama. Pull, run, and integrate Bonsai into your homelab for private inference.
DIY Bowling Alley Scoring with ESP32 and ESP-IDF
Replace enterprise bowling systems with ESP32 microcontrollers running ESP-IDF. Build a networked scoring system for your homelab at a fraction of commercial costs.
Run LLMs Locally with Ollama: Complete Self-Hosting Guide
Set up Ollama to run state-of-the-art language models on your own hardware. No cloud fees, full privacy, complete control.
Self-Host a Password Manager: Vaultwarden in 10 Minutes
Self-host Vaultwarden, a lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password manager, in 10 minutes. Docker setup, HTTPS done the safe way, and no public exposure.
Self-Host Immich: The Photo Backup That Kills Google Photos
Self-host Immich to replace Google Photos — automatic phone backup, AI-powered search, and off-site copies to Backblaze B2, all on hardware you own.
Run a Local LLM on a Mini PC: Self-Host Your Own ChatGPT
Run a private ChatGPT-style AI on a cheap mini PC with no GPU. Full Ollama + Open WebUI setup, real speed numbers, and which models actually fit.
Self-Host n8n and Replace Zapier: Setup + Real Cost Breakdown
Replace Zapier with self-hosted n8n in 10 minutes. Docker Compose setup, first workflow, and the real monthly cost math versus Zapier and Make.