CodeWithRomi
@codewithromi.bsky.social
homelab + self-hosting tutorials. docker, proxmox, networking, security, and automating the boring stuff. i break things so you dont have to, then show you how. new video most weeks 👇 codewithromi.com
jellyfin 12.0's database migration is one-way, so you can't just roll back if something breaks. back up your config folder before you touch anything. full guide on the blog
#jellyfin #selfhosted #docker
#jellyfin #selfhosted #docker
Jellyfin 12.0 Is Out: How to Upgrade Your Homelab Media Server
Jellyfin 12.0 is out, and its database upgrade is one-way. Here's how to move your Docker or Portainer stack over safely.
codewithromi.com
September 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM
jellyfin 12.0's database migration is one-way, so you can't just roll back if something breaks. back up your config folder before you touch anything. full guide on the blog
#jellyfin #selfhosted #docker
#jellyfin #selfhosted #docker
if you self-host Forgejo, drop what you're doing and update to 16.0.4 or 15.0.8 LTS. there's a critical RCE bug (CVE-2026-89094) being patched and skipping this one isn't worth the risk. wrote it all up on the blog
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
Forgejo 16.0.4 Patches a Critical RCE Vulnerability: Update Now
Forgejo 16.0.4 and 15.0.8 LTS fix a critical remote code execution bug, CVE-2026-89094. If you self-host Forgejo, this update is not optional.
codewithromi.com
September 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM
if you self-host Forgejo, drop what you're doing and update to 16.0.4 or 15.0.8 LTS. there's a critical RCE bug (CVE-2026-89094) being patched and skipping this one isn't worth the risk. wrote it all up on the blog
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
the thing that took my whole house offline: setting pi-hole as your dns BEFORE testing it. always validate on one device first. saved me a second argument with my wife. full walkthrough in the thread 👇
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
September 14, 2026 at 4:00 PM
the thing that took my whole house offline: setting pi-hole as your dns BEFORE testing it. always validate on one device first. saved me a second argument with my wife. full walkthrough in the thread 👇
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
giving ai live access to your homelab? first thing i did was lock it to a fixed command allowlist over ssh. read-only, no surprises. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
September 13, 2026 at 10:00 PM
giving ai live access to your homelab? first thing i did was lock it to a fixed command allowlist over ssh. read-only, no surprises. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
if your ai can't see live data, it's just guessing. i gave mine read-only ssh access + a fixed command allowlist so it reads real stats without touching anything. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
September 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM
if your ai can't see live data, it's just guessing. i gave mine read-only ssh access + a fixed command allowlist so it reads real stats without touching anything. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
#homelab #selfhosted #automation
bookstack organizes your youtube scripts into books, chapters, and pages. way more intuitive than notion for video planning, and it costs nothing to run. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
Self-Hosted Notion Alternative: BookStack for YouTube Creators
Stop paying $10/month for Notion. BookStack gives you a self-hosted wiki for free, perfect for YouTube scripts, video ideas, and homelab documentation.
codewithromi.com
September 13, 2026 at 2:00 PM
bookstack organizes your youtube scripts into books, chapters, and pages. way more intuitive than notion for video planning, and it costs nothing to run. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
#selfhosted #homelab #opensource
pi-hole on proxmox tip: set your router's DHCP to point at pi-hole's IP, not the other way around. skipped that step and wondered why ads still showed up. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
Block Ads on Every Device: Pi-hole on Proxmox (Full Setup Guide)
Block ads and trackers on every device with Pi-hole on Proxmox, 20-minute setup, plus the gotchas I hit live so you don't troubleshoot blindly.
codewithromi.com
September 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM
pi-hole on proxmox tip: set your router's DHCP to point at pi-hole's IP, not the other way around. skipped that step and wondered why ads still showed up. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
one caddy reverse proxy handles routing for all five of my sites, no nginx config chaos. point your dns, drop a caddyfile block, done. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
How I Run Multiple Websites From One Homelab Server
Host five sites on one box: Proxmox + Docker + Caddy as a reverse proxy + Cloudflare for DNS and TLS. Full architecture and the Caddyfiles I actually use.
codewithromi.com
September 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM
one caddy reverse proxy handles routing for all five of my sites, no nginx config chaos. point your dns, drop a caddyfile block, done. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
the recidive jail in fail2ban is underrated. it watches your other jails and perma-bans repeat offenders automatically. set it once and stop babysitting your logs. full guide on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #cybersecurity
#homelab #selfhosted #cybersecurity
Fail2Ban Setup (Homelab Security Part 2)
UFW blocks ports; Fail2Ban blocks the attackers trying to get through them. The exact jail.local, custom Ghost-login filter, and recidive setup I run.
codewithromi.com
September 7, 2026 at 2:00 PM
the recidive jail in fail2ban is underrated. it watches your other jails and perma-bans repeat offenders automatically. set it once and stop babysitting your logs. full guide on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #cybersecurity
#homelab #selfhosted #cybersecurity
if your discord bot crashes at 2am, you don't have to be awake to fix it. a three-tier ai fallback (local first, cloud only if needed) can catch and patch its own bugs. wrote the whole thing up
#homelab #automation #opensource
#homelab #automation #opensource
Building an AI-Powered Self-Healing Discord Bot
A Discord bot that detects its own bugs and fixes them using a three-tier AI fallback: local Phi-3 → Groq cloud → Claude API. The whole architecture, with code.
codewithromi.com
September 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM
if your discord bot crashes at 2am, you don't have to be awake to fix it. a three-tier ai fallback (local first, cloud only if needed) can catch and patch its own bugs. wrote the whole thing up
#homelab #automation #opensource
#homelab #automation #opensource
asking an llm 'explain X' is the worst way to learn from it. ask it to give you an analogy, then poke holes in it. you learn 10x more. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #linux #opensource
#homelab #linux #opensource
How to Use LLMs as Your Personal Tutor for Complex Technical Topics
Stop using AI as a search engine. Here's a structured methodology for using LLMs to actually understand hard technical topics.
codewithromi.com
September 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM
asking an llm 'explain X' is the worst way to learn from it. ask it to give you an analogy, then poke holes in it. you learn 10x more. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #linux #opensource
#homelab #linux #opensource
a velcro cable wrap on the back of your mini rack panel saves more headaches than any fancy gear. tiny thing, massive difference. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
Mini Rack Accessories You Didn't Know You Needed (But Definitely Do)
Filling a 10-inch mini rack is the easy part. Here are the accessories that make it actually usable.
codewithromi.com
September 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM
a velcro cable wrap on the back of your mini rack panel saves more headaches than any fancy gear. tiny thing, massive difference. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
#homelab #selfhosted #networking
if you run ollama locally but still want cloud fallback when a model struggles, you can route between them automatically and have it return to local when it recovers. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
August 30, 2026 at 10:00 PM
if you run ollama locally but still want cloud fallback when a model struggles, you can route between them automatically and have it return to local when it recovers. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
tip: run your ai inference on a beefy machine (rtx 3090) and your assistant app on a pi 5. you get local-first ai without choking the pi. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
August 30, 2026 at 4:00 PM
tip: run your ai inference on a beefy machine (rtx 3090) and your assistant app on a pi 5. you get local-first ai without choking the pi. full walkthrough in the thread
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
#homelab #selfhosted #docker
n8n can watch your Ghost CMS and auto-ping Discord the second a post goes live. no code, no monthly fee, just a webhook and a couple nodes. wrote the whole thing up on the blog.
#homelab #automation #selfhosted
#homelab #automation #selfhosted
How I Automated My Entire Website with n8n: Ghost + Discord + Zero Code
Ghost CMS publishes a new post → n8n pings Discord and welcomes new members automatically. Zero code, zero subscription fees, all running on my homelab.
codewithromi.com
August 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM
n8n can watch your Ghost CMS and auto-ping Discord the second a post goes live. no code, no monthly fee, just a webhook and a couple nodes. wrote the whole thing up on the blog.
#homelab #automation #selfhosted
#homelab #automation #selfhosted
powering a raspberry pi through the gpio 5v pins bypasses the onboard fuse and polarity protection. you can silently fry your board and never know why. use the usb-c port. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#raspberrypi #homelab #selfhosted
#raspberrypi #homelab #selfhosted
Why You Shouldn't Power a Raspberry Pi Through Its GPIO Pins
Powering a Raspberry Pi through the GPIO 5V pins skips critical protection circuitry and can silently damage your board.
codewithromi.com
August 28, 2026 at 2:00 PM
powering a raspberry pi through the gpio 5v pins bypasses the onboard fuse and polarity protection. you can silently fry your board and never know why. use the usb-c port. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#raspberrypi #homelab #selfhosted
#raspberrypi #homelab #selfhosted
cheap streaming sticks sometimes ship with malware already on them, straight from the factory. before you plug one in, check if it even gets security updates. most don't. wrote the whole thing up on the blog.
#cybersecurity #homelab #networking
#cybersecurity #homelab #networking
TV Streaming Sticks: Security and Privacy Red Flags to Know Before You Buy
Cheap streaming sticks can ship with pre-installed malware, shady data practices, and no security updates. Here is what to check before you plug one in.
codewithromi.com
August 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM
cheap streaming sticks sometimes ship with malware already on them, straight from the factory. before you plug one in, check if it even gets security updates. most don't. wrote the whole thing up on the blog.
#cybersecurity #homelab #networking
#cybersecurity #homelab #networking
for homelab ai workloads, gen5 nvme already saturates most local model pipelines. gen6 won't change that anytime soon. wrote the whole thing up if you're deciding what to buy right now.
#homelab #selfhosted #linux
#homelab #selfhosted #linux
PCIe Gen5 vs Gen6 for AI Storage: Which One Actually Matters for Your Homelab
PCIe Gen6 is coming, but Gen5 NVMe is already here. Here is what both generations mean for homelab AI workloads and storage decisions right now.
codewithromi.com
August 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM
for homelab ai workloads, gen5 nvme already saturates most local model pipelines. gen6 won't change that anytime soon. wrote the whole thing up if you're deciding what to buy right now.
#homelab #selfhosted #linux
#homelab #selfhosted #linux
if tailscale won't install because there's no init system, you can run it in userspace mode with no root needed. works on kindles, weird arm boards, anything constrained. wrote the whole thing up
#homelab #networking #selfhosted
#homelab #networking #selfhosted
Tailscale Networking Tricks for Edge Devices (Kindle and Beyond)
Jailbroken Kindles can run Tailscale, and the tricks that make it work apply to any constrained edge device on your network.
codewithromi.com
August 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM
if tailscale won't install because there's no init system, you can run it in userspace mode with no root needed. works on kindles, weird arm boards, anything constrained. wrote the whole thing up
#homelab #networking #selfhosted
#homelab #networking #selfhosted
jellyfin runs fine on hardware you already own, even an old windows laptop collecting dust. no subscription, no content disappearing overnight. full guide on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #opensource
#homelab #selfhosted #opensource
Build Your Own Netflix with Jellyfin (Windows, Proxmox, Linux or Docker)
Streaming keeps getting pricier and your favourite shows keep disappearing. Here is how to run your own media server with Jellyfin, whether you have an old Windows laptop, a Proxmox host, a Linux box or Docker.
codewithromi.com
August 20, 2026 at 2:00 PM
jellyfin runs fine on hardware you already own, even an old windows laptop collecting dust. no subscription, no content disappearing overnight. full guide on the blog
#homelab #selfhosted #opensource
#homelab #selfhosted #opensource
the asus nuc 16 with panther lake fits proxmox on a tiny footprint without sacrificing vm headroom. finally a mini pc worth considering for a proper homelab build. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
ASUS NUC 16 with Panther Lake: A Compact Powerhouse for Your Homelab
ASUS is bringing the NUC 16 family powered by Intel Panther Lake, and it looks like a strong pick for a small-footprint Proxmox or homelab server.
codewithromi.com
August 18, 2026 at 2:00 PM
the asus nuc 16 with panther lake fits proxmox on a tiny footprint without sacrificing vm headroom. finally a mini pc worth considering for a proper homelab build. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
#homelab #proxmox #selfhosted
If you had to choose one machine for your local AI workload today, what are you buying?
NVIDIA DGX Spark
vs.
ASUS Ascent GX10 (GB10)
Think local LLM inference, fine-tuning, coding agents, and experimentation.
Which one wins for you and why? Performance, thermals, software, value?
NVIDIA DGX Spark
vs.
ASUS Ascent GX10 (GB10)
Think local LLM inference, fine-tuning, coding agents, and experimentation.
Which one wins for you and why? Performance, thermals, software, value?
August 16, 2026 at 6:04 PM
If you had to choose one machine for your local AI workload today, what are you buying?
NVIDIA DGX Spark
vs.
ASUS Ascent GX10 (GB10)
Think local LLM inference, fine-tuning, coding agents, and experimentation.
Which one wins for you and why? Performance, thermals, software, value?
NVIDIA DGX Spark
vs.
ASUS Ascent GX10 (GB10)
Think local LLM inference, fine-tuning, coding agents, and experimentation.
Which one wins for you and why? Performance, thermals, software, value?
if your discord bot dies at 3am, docker's restart policies + a watchdog healthcheck means you wake up to nothing. the bot just fixes itself. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #docker #selfhosted
#homelab #docker #selfhosted
Building a Self-Healing Discord Bot on My Homelab
A production Discord bot that monitors itself, auto-restarts on failure, and survives NAS crashes — Docker on a TerraMaster NAS, zero downtime, maximum reliability.
codewithromi.com
August 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM
if your discord bot dies at 3am, docker's restart policies + a watchdog healthcheck means you wake up to nothing. the bot just fixes itself. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #docker #selfhosted
#homelab #docker #selfhosted
crowdsec lets your server block IPs that attacked someone else's homelab yesterday, before they even reach you. community threat sharing, free, and takes about 10 mins to set up. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #cybersecurity #selfhosted
#homelab #cybersecurity #selfhosted
CrowdSec: Community-Powered Security
Block IPs that attacked someone else's server yesterday. Install CrowdSec on your homelab, share community blocklists, and harden everything in 10 minutes.
codewithromi.com
August 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM
crowdsec lets your server block IPs that attacked someone else's homelab yesterday, before they even reach you. community threat sharing, free, and takes about 10 mins to set up. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#homelab #cybersecurity #selfhosted
#homelab #cybersecurity #selfhosted
proxmox officially supports ARM64 now, meaning you can run a proper hypervisor on raspberry pi hardware instead of hacking things together. actual cluster management, not workarounds. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#proxmox #homelab #raspberrypi
#proxmox #homelab #raspberrypi
Proxmox VE Now Officially Supports ARM64: What It Means for Homelabs
Proxmox VE now officially supports ARM, and that changes what's possible for Raspberry Pi clusters and edge homelab builds.
codewithromi.com
August 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM
proxmox officially supports ARM64 now, meaning you can run a proper hypervisor on raspberry pi hardware instead of hacking things together. actual cluster management, not workarounds. wrote the whole thing up on the blog
#proxmox #homelab #raspberrypi
#proxmox #homelab #raspberrypi