Welcome! I’m Anand, and I’m glad you’ve found SimpleHomelab. This site grew out of years of curiosity and experience in homelabbing and self-hosting, and it’s become a place to share what I’ve learned along the way. My goal is to make these topics approachable for everyone, whether you’re brand new or have plenty of projects behind you. If complicated documentation or tricky setups have ever left you frustrated, I hope you’ll find clarity and encouragement here.
About Me
I’ve always been a tinkerer and a dedicated homelab enthusiast. Years ago, I took the plunge into home servers and self-hosted automation. Back then, I never expected my experiences would connect me with thousands of people who wanted to learn and build too. I’m not a professional programmer or an industry insider; I’m just someone who enjoys sharing what works, trying new things, and making technology feel more approachable for everyone.
Since 2010, my content has been published under a few different names: blog.homelinux.org, htpcBeginner.com, and SmartHomeBeginner.com. In January 2025, I rebranded as SimpleHomelab. That felt like the best way to express my goal of making homelabbing truly accessible. This site isn’t just a collection of facts. It’s the product of years of trial, error, and feedback from a generous community.
For me, the biggest reward is seeing others succeed. Whether someone finally gets Traefik working or starts a great discussion on Discord, every new success or connection makes all the effort worthwhile.
What You’ll Find Here
At SimpleHomelab, the aim is to make homelabbing and self-hosted tech truly accessible. Here’s what you can expect:
- Docker and containerization guides
- Traefik reverse proxy setup and configuration
- Self-hosted applications and services
- Media server setups (Plex, Jellyfin, and more)
- Home server automation and management
- Security best practices for self-hosting
- Real-world troubleshooting and solutions
- Community-driven tutorials and case studies
Every guide is based on my own experience. I test everything in my own homelab before sharing it.
If something doesn’t work, I’ll say so. And if I discover a better way later, I update my guide.
The Ultimate Docker Media Server (UDMS) Series
My Ultimate Docker Media Server (UDMS) guides are often where people begin. These step-by-step tutorials have helped hundreds of thousands build Docker-based homelabs, from the very basics to advanced automation. If you like learning by watching, check out my YouTube channel where I cover visual walkthroughs, troubleshooting, and deeper dive topics.
I don’t just write about homelabs. I run everything I teach myself. You can find all my work open-sourced on GitHub, including compose files, Traefik configs, and the best practices I actually use. The project has collected more than 3,400 stars, helped thousands of people get started, and anyone can contribute or draw inspiration from it.
My philosophy with the UDMS series is straightforward: break big ideas into practical steps, keep everything up-to-date as tech changes, and always explain why something works.
I don’t just say how, but also why.
Whether you’re brand new or have been using Docker for years, I want you to find something useful here and feel like you’re part of the community.
Deployrr: Automating Your Homelab Setup
Over the years, UDMS readers kept sharing a common request: a reliable setup that didn’t take days to piece together. That’s what inspired me to create Deployrr, my automated, Docker-based deployment tool turning the UDMS guides into a working homelab in just a few minutes.
Deployrr has grown fast, now powering homelab setups on more than 5,000 machines for over 1,500 users. It supports 150+ pre-configured applications, including media servers, dashboards, utilities, and even self-hosted AI tools.
Deployrr automates the setup of Traefik reverse proxy, SSL certificates, and app deployment, giving you a solid, customizable foundation.
Instead of jumping between guides, you get a smooth, continually updated experience full of new features and direct community feedback.
If you want to see what’s new or changing, the detailed changelog tracks all updates and new additions.
What makes me proudest isn’t the download numbers, but the real results people share. Don’t just take my word for it. Check out the testimonials page to see how people have saved time, solved tricky problems, and gained the confidence to run their own homelabs.
Giving Back: Open Source Sponsorships
The support from the Deployrr community and from everyone who becomes part of the Geek Army has gone far beyond this website. Because of your contributions, we’ve now sponsored over $1,000 USD to some of the most important open-source projects through Deployrr’s Open Collective fund. Some of these projects include Jellyfin, LinuxServer, Traefik, Uptime Kuma, and many others.
Our Amazing Community
The Geek Army
The Geek Army is our membership platform. We have more than 400 members who get exclusive content, early access, and direct support. But it’s more than just a subscription. It’s a genuine community where passionate homelabbers help each other, learn, and build together, moving the whole SimpleHomelab project forward.
By joining, you directly help me keep guides and tools up to date, fund new resources, and make it possible to keep most of my content free for everyone. I’m sincerely grateful for every Geek Army member and everything we’ve accomplished as a group.
Want to see the difference our community makes? Take a look at the real stories our users have shared on the testimonials page. These stories paint an honest picture of what the Geek Army and SimpleHomelab community are all about: support, improvement, and mutual trust.
Discord Community
Our lively Discord server is at the heart of what we do. With over 2,500 members, people are always troubleshooting, brainstorming, celebrating wins, and sharing ideas.
It’s a welcoming space where both new users and seasoned experts lend a hand, often within minutes.
Beyond just solving technical problems, Discord is the launch pad for new project ideas, technical discussions, and all kinds of support. You’ll never be judged for asking basic questions or sharing beginner struggles. Here, everyone is encouraged to learn together.
YouTube Channel
My YouTube channel is a visual companion to my written guides. You’ll find video walkthroughs of everything from Docker basics to advanced automation.
If you like learning by watching, you’ll get step-by-step help that matches the content on the site.
Why Memberships and Paid Tools?
As site traffic has declined, partly due to AI-driven search changes. I’ve had to adapt.
Creating the Geek Army membership and a paid tool like Deployrr ensures SimpleHomelab remains sustainable, ad-light, and independent. Memberships and Deployrr directly support ongoing content, updates, and community growth, letting me keep the majority of my work free, open, and focused on real homelabbers.
Joining Geek Army is completely optional. I do not paywall any essential content. In addition, even Deployrr is completely optional. Everything that Deployrr does can be done manually with the UDMS guides. If used properly, Deployrr can be a great learning companion for beginner and a convenient tool for advanced users.
Join Us
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your homelab further, I’d love to have you in our community.
If SimpleHomelab or Deployrr has helped you, please consider supporting its future with the Geek Army. Your support gives you exclusive perks but also helps the community by allowing us to keep sponsoring open-source software that powers self-hosting everywhere. You can read what other members are saying on our testimonials page.
Thank you for being here and supporting this journey.