I can see it both ways.
this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2026
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Technically no, because it's cloud-hosted infrastructure. Businesses usually call this IaaS, Infrastructure as a Service.
But it's still a good way to build your own services that you can possibly trust more than public cloud services. IMO posts about setting up your own trusted services could be valuable content for the community even if you set it up on the cloud.
If you control the backend, it's self hosted. Vast majority of people use VPS's for many hosting purposes. Stupid semantic applixation of rule 3.
Sounds like a candidate for !yepowertrippinbastards@lemmy.dbzer0.com
To me personally self hosted means the only way the service / files can be taken from me, is to physically enter my house and take the HD
Anything shy of that I don't fully consider self hosting.
Not because I'm gate keeping, it's just that I don't trust any corporation, and the minute they are involved, enschitification is inevitable
Yet they're already in your home.
I'd argue that it's self managed but not self hosted, it's still running on somone elses computer and they ultimately control what you can and cant do with it. The distinction is murky though because a lot of the discussion here is about managing services rather than the hosting infrastructure (though of course there is some of that too).
Is it self hosting? No.
Does it matter? Idk.
By definition, the cloud provider is hosting you. It's not about being good or bad it just is. If the mod deemed your question to be irrelevant to the community then idk maybe it does matter in this context.
I'm not a mod but, to me I see self hosting as maintaining your own setup. If it's hosted in a cloud you still are maintaining the setup you are just offloading hardware responsibilities to someone else.
It's not like you are signing up for google photos and then saying "yo guys I have my own photos self hosted", you still are putting the pain and suffering into making it work, you just aren't worrying about the hardware or network requirements (outside of security)
Being said, some people firmly see ""self-hosting" as you buy the parts, install and configure everything and it's coming out of your house.
It's a sticky situation, imo that type of ideology also throws any type of using a DNS/DDOS host out the window as well., but again YMMV depending on who you ask.
I definitly think if you are installing -> configuring -> maintaining and then -> using. you meet the definition of self hosting.
edit: Being said, looking at the log, your deleted post was the one about your current external host provider dropping you due to heavy load(they were eco friendly) right? I can kind of see why they felt this didn't meet the environment of the community. But i see both sides of the argument.
Host can take your data and shut you down. Not SELF hosted. Same as business not calling it on PREM hosting when they do the same.
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Love to see the people in here gatekeeping "selfhosting" π
We're all just out here trying to escape big tech. A docker container doesn't suddenly stop becoming "selfhosted" once the hard drive it's on crosses a property line. Who the hell cares, seriously.
It's not gate keeping it isn't self hosting someone else is hosting it hence the self is removed. Should discussions be allowed sure as long as it's about the application and not problems with their hosting provider.
I can see you care about this a lot, so please tell me; in your opinion at what point does a PC cease to be "self hosted"? When it's carried across the property line? Maybe if the electricity bill is paid by a roommate?
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I think it considered self-hosting as in self-hosting services/software but not the hardware.
I'm currently using a VPS for multiple reasons. Hardware is kinda expensive where I'm currently living. And due to CGNAT I would need to setup a tailscale node or VPN etc somewhere else anyway. Also home internet isn't reliable at all here and I may need to access my stuff when outside and regardless if my internet is acting up or there's a blackout.
Although in the future I'm planning on migrating to a dual setup where my core server lives at home and the public front (along with some smaller services and apps) is on a VPS.
If they can cut you off or go down, then I'd argue it's not self hosted.
IDK what's happened to you or why your post got removed.
Obviously "self-hosting" as a term is broad and subjective.
IMO this community discusses hosting services in an environment where you're responsible for installing, configuring, and maintaining your own stuff.
A purist might argue that self-hosting doesn't include services residing on a VPS, but what's the point of excluding those discussions from this community? In practical terms the nature of the activity is the same.
I mean by definition it isn't self hosting as someone else is hosting the service for you.
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It seems fair to me
Stop giving the purists cred here.
If it works for you, use it. Christ.
it's not really a question of working or not, is it? it's a question of what words mean. if somebody says why isn't an orange considered an apple, it's perfectly normal to say it's because they're two different things. you wouldn't say, "do what works for you, make an apple pie with oranges", would you?
So why don't we just rename the group to "Puritan Self-Hosting Only"? Where is your line?
I know you're feeling very self-righteous right now, but I hope at some point you can calm down enough to step back and realize this is such a silly thing to be getting so dramatic over.
I'd say it isn't self hosted. Same as companies doing the same not calling it on prem. No should discussions be allowed here yes as long as it isn't about the hosting provider.
LOVELY COMMENT.
What are you getting at?
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No
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:
| Fewer Letters | More Letters |
|---|---|
| CGNAT | Carrier-Grade NAT |
| DNS | Domain Name Service/System |
| HA | Home Assistant automation software |
| ~ | High Availability |
| NAT | Network Address Translation |
| VPN | Virtual Private Network |
| VPS | Virtual Private Server (opposed to shared hosting) |
[Thread #43 for this comm, first seen 29th Jan 2026, 21:40] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]
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