Build The Thing
DIY infrastructure projects with a useful outcome.
Follow a complete build, practice a real operator workflow, or create something useful for a home lab, small environment, or professional learning project. Each guide is organized around prerequisites, steps, validation, and what to try next.
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Start with the kind of system
01Network and DNSPi-hole, split DNS, DHCP, VLAN-aware services, network visibility, and practical edge services.7 projects02Storage and BackupNAS patterns, snapshot verification, backup hygiene, and family-safe storage systems.6 projects03Virtualization and ContainersProxmox, Docker, lightweight Kubernetes, dev environments, and reproducible service platforms.6 projects04Monitoring and ObservabilityDashboards, health checks, logs, alert routing, and operational visibility for homelab services.4 projects05Remote Access and SecurityWireGuard, Tailscale, identity, access controls, hardening, and low-friction remote administration.3 projects06PowerShell and Admin AutomationReusable scripts, reporting tools, endpoint automation, and repeatable operator workflows.6 projects07Home Automation and IoTHome Assistant, MQTT, Zigbee, Raspberry Pi utility nodes, and practical household automation.4 projects08Self-Hosted Services and ProductivityDocumentation portals, dashboards, media utilities, note systems, and practical family or team services.6 projects
Project Library
Browse every build by path
Network and DNS
Pi-hole, split DNS, DHCP, VLAN-aware services, network visibility, and practical edge services.
Create a WireGuard plus Split DNS Lab for Secure Remote Access to Self-Hosted ServicesBy completing this guide, you will establish a secure remote access setup using WireGuard and implement split DNS for your self-hosted services.Build a Small Office Network Monitoring Stack with LibreNMS, Syslog, and Alert RoutingA practical setup for a small office network monitoring stack using LibreNMS for network visibility, syslog for log management, and alert routing for notifications.PowerShell Health-Check Pack for Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and Certificate ExpirationCreate a PowerShell health-check pack for Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and certificate checks in a small Windows network.Build a Home Network Visibility Dashboard with ntopng, Syslog, and VLAN Traffic SummariesBuild a home network visibility dashboard with ntopng, syslog, and VLAN summaries for quick traffic checks.Small Office DHCP and DNS Audit Toolkit with PowerShellA practical toolkit for a DHCP and DNS audit toolkit using PowerShell. The toolkit will include scripts for checking lease conflicts and exporting the results for further analysis.Create a Raspberry Pi DNS Secondary Server with Pi-hole Sync and Failover TestingBuild a secondary Pi-hole DNS node on a Raspberry Pi, sync core configuration from the primary resolver, and prove client failover before changing router DHCP options.Creating a WireGuard Jump Host with MFA-Friendly Access PatternsCreate a WireGuard jump host for remote access that keeps internal services private and leaves room for MFA-friendly access patterns.
Storage and Backup
NAS patterns, snapshot verification, backup hygiene, and family-safe storage systems.
Build a Backup Verification Workflow for Hyper-V or Proxmox VMs with Scheduled Restore ChecksBuild a backup verification workflow for Hyper-V or Proxmox so restores are tested before an outage forces the question.Build a TrueNAS Replication Lab with Snapshot Schedules and Rollback ValidationCreate a TrueNAS replication lab with snapshot schedules and a rollback test so you know the backup path works before you need it.Family NAS Backup Plan with Snapshots and Offsite SyncCreate a family NAS backup plan with snapshot retention, offsite copy targets, restore notes, and a small proof restore so backup success is based on evidence instead of hope.Build a Proxmox Backup Server Lab with Retention Policies and Monthly Recovery DrillsBuild a Proxmox Backup Server lab with retention policy, backup job evidence, and a monthly restore drill so recovery confidence comes from tested restores.PowerShell Home Lab Toolkit for Backup Checks and Service ManagementCreate a PowerShell toolkit for backup checks, service restarts, and daily status notes in a small lab environment.Windows Server File Share Backup Audit with PowerShell and Stale Job DetectionA practical build for a PowerShell script that audits file share backups on a Windows Server and detects stale backup jobs.
Virtualization and Containers
Proxmox, Docker, lightweight Kubernetes, dev environments, and reproducible service platforms.
Build a Homelab CI Pipeline for Docker Services with Rollback SupportA practical setup for a Continuous Integration (CI) pipeline in your homelab that automatically deploys Docker services from GitHub repositories and includes rollback capabilities.Raspberry Pi Home Assistant Utility Node with MQTT and Zigbee2MQTTTurn a Raspberry Pi into a Home Assistant utility node for MQTT and Zigbee2MQTT with an update path you can repeat.Proxmox Starter Cluster Guide with Templates, Backups, and Service Placement RulesBuild a small Proxmox starter cluster with templates, backups, and placement rules you can reuse for later services.Build a Raspberry Pi Environmental Monitor for Rack Temperature, Power State, and Service AlertsBy following this guide, you will create a Raspberry Pi-based environmental monitor that tracks rack temperature, power state, and provides service alerts.Create a Docker-based Reverse Proxy Stack with Nginx Proxy Manager and Automatic TLS CertificatesSet up a Docker-based Nginx Proxy Manager stack for internal services that need repeatable TLS and routing.Build a Raspberry Pi Container Host with Docker ComposeA Raspberry Pi Docker Compose host with health checks, safer update habits, and a small-service layout that is easy to maintain.
Monitoring and Observability
Dashboards, health checks, logs, alert routing, and operational visibility for homelab services.
Build a Windows Event Log Collector with PowerShell and Scheduled TasksA practical build for a lightweight Windows event log collector using PowerShell scripts and scheduled tasks, supporting cleanly incident triage and log management.Build a Log Aggregation Starter Lab with Loki, Grafana, and Service-Specific DashboardsSet up a starter log stack with Loki and Grafana so service logs land in one place and can be checked during incidents.Create a Homelab Uptime Dashboard with Docker, Grafana, and Simple Service Health ChecksA practical setup for a homelab uptime dashboard using Docker and Grafana.Create an Uptime Kuma and Grafana Homelab Monitor with Status Pages and Escalation RulesA homelab monitoring stack that pairs Uptime Kuma status checks with Grafana views, status pages, and escalation rules.
Remote Access and Security
WireGuard, Tailscale, identity, access controls, hardening, and low-friction remote administration.
Build a Secure Remote Admin Toolkit with Tailscale, RDP Hardening, and Access ControlsA practical build for a secure remote administration toolkit using Tailscale for secure networking, along with RDP hardening techniques and access control measures to ensure a safe remote management experience.Build a Small Identity Lab with Authentik and KeycloakBuild a small identity lab with Authentik and Keycloak so you can test SSO flows, admin access, and recovery steps safely.Build a Raspberry Pi Travel Gateway with WireGuard for Safe Remote Access to Your Home LabA Raspberry Pi travel gateway pattern for secure WireGuard access back to a home lab while away from the trusted network.
PowerShell and Admin Automation
Reusable scripts, reporting tools, endpoint automation, and repeatable operator workflows.
Build a Reproducible Devcontainer Environment for PowerShell, Terraform, and Azure CLIBuild a reproducible devcontainer for PowerShell, Terraform, and Azure CLI work so the toolchain is easy to rebuild.PowerShell Onboarding Toolkit for Workstation SetupCreate a reusable PowerShell onboarding script for new Windows workstations: install standard apps, apply baseline settings, and leave behind a process the next tech can run.PowerShell Toolkit for Rotating Local Admin Passwords and Auditing Privileged Access DriftCreate a PowerShell toolkit for rotating local administrator passwords and checking privileged access drift across Windows machines.Build a Reusable PowerShell Script for Software Inventory ReportingBuild a reusable PowerShell software inventory script that exports clean CSV reports from Windows endpoints.Build a Safe File Server Permission Audit with PowerShellBuild a read-only PowerShell permission audit for Windows file shares, export remediation candidates, and preserve evidence for an access review without changing ACLs.Build a Patch Compliance Reporting Workflow for Windows Devices Using PowerShell and Scheduled ScansBuild a Windows patch compliance reporting workflow with PowerShell, scheduled scans, CSV evidence, and rollback notes for the scheduled task and local script files.
Home Automation and IoT
Home Assistant, MQTT, Zigbee, Raspberry Pi utility nodes, and practical household automation.
Create a Local Camera and Sensor Event Pipeline with Frigate, MQTT, and Home Assistant AutomationsBuild a local event pipeline that turns camera and sensor events into Home Assistant automations without depending on a cloud service.Build a Smart Power Monitoring Lab with Home AssistantA smart power monitoring lab that turns Home Assistant energy data into dashboards, thresholds, and household alerts.Build a Home Assistant Starter Lab with Dashboards, Backups, and Room-by-Room Entity OrganizationBy following this guide, you will set up a Home Assistant lab that includes customizable dashboards, automated backups, and organized entities for each room in your home.Build a Family Notification Hub with Home AssistantA family notification hub that uses Home Assistant calendar triggers, quiet hours, and clear escalation rules for household reminders.
Self-Hosted Services and Productivity
Documentation portals, dashboards, media utilities, note systems, and practical family or team services.
Build a Lightweight Internal Git and Script Catalog with GiteaA practical setup for a lightweight internal Git repository and script catalog using Gitea, a self-hosted Git service.Create a Self-Hosted Document Workflow with Paperless-ngx, OCR, and Backup ValidationBuild a self-hosted Paperless-ngx workflow that turns scanned documents into searchable records and includes a backup check you can repeat.Create a Lightweight k3s Lab for Self-Hosted ServicesBy following this guide, you will set up a lightweight k3s cluster capable of running self-hosted services with ingress and persistent volumes.Self-Hosted Dashboard Homepage for Homelab ServicesCreate a self-hosted dashboard that provides live status tiles for your homelab services and quick access to maintenance links.Build a Self-Hosted Password Vault Lab with VaultwardenA self-hosted Vaultwarden password vault with backups, recovery notes, and practical safeguards for family use.Build a Media Utility Server with JellyfinA Jellyfin media utility server with metadata automation, storage hygiene checks, and a repeatable layout for home media libraries.