selvhosted

Selvhosted is a term used to describe software, services, or applications that are hosted on a user’s own infrastructure rather than by a commercial service provider. The concept is common in open-source and privacy-conscious communities; it encompasses self-hosted instances of web apps, databases, email servers, and other tools.

In practice, selvhosted means you operate the server, install and configure software, manage data storage, backups, updates, and security. This can occur on personal hardware, private servers, or rented infrastructure, including cloud virtual machines, provided you retain control of the environment.

Benefits of selvhosted include greater control over data and customization, potential for stronger privacy and compliance, and avoidance of vendor lock-in. It can offer predictable long-term costs for certain workloads. Limitations include higher technical requirements, ongoing maintenance, responsibility for security, backups, and uptime, potential higher upfront costs, and the need for monitoring and recovery planning.

Common considerations when pursuing selvhosted solutions involve assessing hardware capacity, selecting an appropriate software stack, and applying security best practices such as firewalls and TLS. It also requires ensuring regular updates, implementing backup and disaster recovery plans, and evaluating total cost of ownership. Selvhosted setups vary in complexity, so individuals and organizations should match their choice to resources, risk tolerance, and goals.