this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2025
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I am trying to use my old laptops for self-hosting. One has a 6th gen Intel Core i3 (4GB ram), the other has an 11th gen Intel Core i5 (8GB ram). I have previously tried both ubuntu server and desktop but couldn't get it to work well. For the former I found it difficult to remote ssh and the latter I had difficulty installing Docker containers. (I'm not very good with the command line)

I would like to find an OS that is easier to setup with less of a neccesity for the command line (I would still like to learn how to use it though, I don't want to get rid of it entirely!). I've heard of CasaOS, is that a good option? It seems quite easy to use. What about other alternatives?

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[–] dave@lemmy.wtf 2 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

i tried CasaOS for a quick minute. its decent and just has the basics like setting up any disks and then has an app store. its really just a front end for docker and you can manually input the details of any docker containers that arent in the store

ive mostly been running docker stuff on my Synology nas. cant think of the model number now, 218+ i think, but any of the "plus" models will let you run docker. its very similar to Casa, no messing around with command line stuff. ive been self hosting for 10 years now and never touched the command line so i dont know what people are on about here saying you will have trouble

dietpi is another thing ive used on a few devices, mainly small SBCs and raspberry pi's, but i think they might have a version that you can install on anything. its basically just debian, and it has a sort of a wizard that helps set up various things like set up disks and install apps. its headless though so no GUI unless you install one, and the wizard is run from the terminal but youre not having to type any commands at least

[–] actaastron@reddthat.com 2 points 1 day ago

FWIW I've been using Ubuntu desktop with CasaOS for a couple of months now to host Nextcloud, Jellfin, Immich and a few other bits and bobs with absolutely no issues at all so far!

[–] irmadlad@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

(I’m not very good with the command line)

Me either so I take a lot of notes about commands and command sequences. Also, I find that Grok is pretty decent at explaining commands. AI is a wonderful tool, but you also need to do your due diligence in ascertaining whether AI has given you the correct information. I would not copy/paste random commands into a production server, but rather I have a small test server for that kind of stuff. Once I have the command, tested, and understand the command, I can then use that in a production environment.

In as much as I love a good WUI, you will have to learn some cli, it's just inevitable, especially in a headless environment. It may seem daunting at first because there are literally thousands of commands and command sequences. I honestly doubt if even the geekiest nerds on the planet know all by heart. For each command sequence, there are probably hundreds of ways to compose the same command. I would admonish you to download Notepad ++ and start keeping notes on the commands you use. Later on, the fun part is looking back on your notes to see all the commands you now know and what they do.

Core utilities (like ls, cd, cat, etc.) from projects like GNU Coreutils provide around 100-200 commands. Additional tools from packages (e.g., grep, awk, sed) and system utilities (e.g., systemctl, iptables) can add hundreds more. On a system with many packages installed, running compgen -c | sort -u | wc -l in a Bash shell might show 2,000–10,000+ unique commands, depending on the setup.

[–] scheep@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago

Writing down different commands on a note seems like a good idea. Thanks!

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago

I honestly would use a headless Linux system with docker compose. You can find premade docker compose files.

[–] happydoors@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I went with Truenas Scale and was pleasantly surprised it needed no command line kung fu

[–] scheep@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

TrueNAS scale seems like the perfect option, the only downside is that my old laptops don't meet the hardware requirements

[–] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Like RAM?
Not that important. I ran it with ¼-½ of the recommended RAM (1GB RAM per TB)

[–] scheep@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

I tried installing an ISO and it black screened. weird.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 4 hours ago
[–] orosus@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago
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