In-depth guides, tested on real servers.

Run and secure your own infrastructure, hands on.

Linux Server Hardening

A six-part, hands-on guide to securing a Linux server end to end, from the first hour on a new VPS to responding to a breach. Every command tested on a live server.

6 parts

Run a real database in production, not just install one.

PostgreSQL for Production

A four-part, hands-on guide to running PostgreSQL in production on a single VPS: least-privilege roles, backups that actually restore, connection pooling, and tuning. Every command tested on a live 2-vCPU server.

4 parts

Get your application onto a server and keep it running.

Deploying an App on a VPS

A four-part, hands-on guide to getting an app onto a server the right way: behind nginx, running under systemd, served over HTTPS, and deployed with zero downtime. Every command tested on a live server.

4 parts

Docker and friends, without the cargo-culting.

Docker & Compose on a VPS

A four-part, hands-on guide to Docker without the cargo-culting: your first container, building your app's image, a real app-plus-database stack with Compose, and running it safely in production. Every command tested on a live server.

4 parts

Object storage and backups you can actually restore.

Object Storage with MinIO

A four-part, hands-on guide to self-hosting S3-compatible object storage with MinIO: run it as a service, work with buckets and objects, use the S3 API and presigned URLs from your app, and turn on versioning and lifecycle rules. Every command tested on a live server.

4 parts

Backups & Disaster Recovery

A four-part, hands-on guide to backups that actually restore: an encrypted deduplicated restic repository in object storage, snapshots and cheap history, the restore test that most teams skip, and retention plus a nightly systemd timer. Every command tested on a live server.

4 parts

See inside your server before it surprises you.

Metrics & Monitoring with Prometheus

A four-part, hands-on guide to seeing inside your server: node_exporter metrics, Prometheus collecting and storing them, PromQL to ask real questions, and alert rules that page you before users notice. Every command tested on a live server.

4 parts

The command line, from first login to writing your own scripts.

The Linux Command Line

A nine-part, hands-on introduction to the Linux command line and filesystem, from your first login to writing dotfiles. Every command run on a live Ubuntu server so you see the real output, not a mock-up.

9 parts

Users and Permissions

A nine-part, hands-on guide to Linux users, groups and file permissions: ownership, chmod, sudo, SSH keys, umask, ACLs and password policy. Every command run on a live Ubuntu server against a real service account.

9 parts

Processes and Services

A nine-part, hands-on guide to what runs on a Linux server: processes and signals, background jobs, systemd services and journald, enabling and masking units, cron, systemd timers, and resource limits. Every command run on a live Ubuntu server.

9 parts

Package Management

A nine-part, hands-on guide to installing and managing software on Ubuntu: apt, searching and inspecting packages, repositories and GPG keys, dpkg, pinning versions, PPAs, building from source, snap, and keeping a server patched. Every command run on a live Ubuntu server.

9 parts

Linux Networking

A nine-part, hands-on guide to networking from the Linux command line: interfaces and ip, ports and ss, DNS, curl, scp and rsync, ufw, ping and traceroute, SSH tunnels, and diagnosing a slow connection. Every command run on a live Ubuntu server.

9 parts

Storage and Scripting

A nine-part, hands-on guide to disks and filesystems, tar, the text tools sed, awk, cut, sort and uniq, and writing your first bash script and scheduled backup. Every command run on a live Ubuntu server.

9 parts