YunoHost · Umbrel · Start9
What it's for
Systems that turn an old PC or a Raspberry Pi into a personal server, with an app catalogue you install in a few clicks.
Why it matters
Self-hosting sounds scary, but these tools do the heavy lifting. YunoHost even runs your own email and single sign-on. Umbrel offers a 300+ app store, popular with privacy and Bitcoin folks. Start9 encrypts backups and gives every service a Tor address by default.
For whom & when
Advanced profiles ready to spend an afternoon building their own cloud. It’s the most radical structural counter to Chat Control.
Install & use
Get an old computer, a Raspberry Pi, or rent a small server (VPS) in a protective country.
- Install YunoHost, Umbrel or Start9 following their official guide.
- From the catalogue, install Nextcloud, a Matrix server, a photo gallery, etc.
Reach it privately with Tailscale (VPN section) rather than exposing the server to the public.