The Docker Setup (Advanced)
Docker is the portable substrate for Builders. One engine, one Compose file, and your lab jumps from laptop to server to cloud without drama. This is an advanced build - if you’re new to self-hosting I recommend starting with Unraid or Proxmox to get a feel for the process before diving into this Docker setup.
Where this fits with the other guides
Unraid is the gentle ramp - one box, click-ops, and fast progress.
Proxmox is your intermediate rigor - real hypervisor, clean templates, backups that scale, optional SDN and Ceph when you grow.
Docker Advanced (this guide) is your orchestration and portability brain - stack definitions that jump across hosts without caring which hypervisor you picked.
Builder Intro & Master Resource Table - Docker
Docker is the portable substrate for Builders. One engine, one Compose file, and your lab jumps from laptop to server to cloud without drama. This guide gets you from zero to a clean, reliable Docker install, then hardens it so it behaves under load. We close with a few fast-start stacks so you can talk to models and wire up simple automations right away.
Fast-Start Recipes (Docker)
Save these as compose.yml in an empty folder, then run docker compose up -d. Stop with docker compose down. Adjust ports and paths as needed.
Docker Technical Summary & Documentation
A Builder’s technical guide to Docker as a self-hosted AI + homelab platform.
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