docs: comprehensive homelab-mastery rewrite with full build guides
Complete documentation suite for KiteStacks covering all 11 services across 2-host active-active architecture. Includes beginner track (with AI, 8 files) and advanced track (without AI, 7 files) with time estimates, real troubleshooting cases, and command-by-command explanations. Updates certifications roadmap to reflect July 7 2026 A+ Core 2 exam goal. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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homelab-mastery/build-guide/with-ai/01-what-you-need.md
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# Step 1 — What You Need Before You Start
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**Track:** With AI (Beginner)
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**Time for this step:** 1–2 hours
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Welcome. You are about to build a real, working homelab that serves websites to the
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actual internet. It sounds complicated, but with an AI assistant helping you every step
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of the way, you can absolutely do this even if you have never used Linux before.
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---
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## How to Use This Guide
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Throughout this build, whenever you see a command like this:
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```bash
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docker ps
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```
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That is something you type into a terminal (a black window where you type commands).
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Before you type any command, **ask your AI assistant what it does**. Say:
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> "What does this command do: `docker ps`"
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The AI will explain it in plain language. Never run a command you do not understand.
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That is the rule throughout this entire build.
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---
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## What You Need
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### 1. A Computer to Run Everything On
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You need a PC or laptop that will be your home server. This will be called **monk**
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throughout this guide (that is just a nickname — you can call it whatever you want).
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Minimum specs:
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- **RAM:** 8 GB (16 GB recommended — you will run about 15 programs at once)
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- **Storage:** 100 GB free space
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- **Operating system:** Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 recommended)
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If your computer currently runs Windows, you have two options:
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- Install Ubuntu alongside Windows (dual boot)
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- Replace Windows with Ubuntu entirely (easier, recommended)
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**Ask your AI:** "How do I install Ubuntu 24.04 on my computer?"
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---
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### 2. A Domain Name
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A domain name is your address on the internet — for example, `kitestacks.com`.
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You need to buy one. It costs about $10–15 per year.
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**Where to buy:** Cloudflare Registrar (registrar.cloudflare.com) is recommended
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because you will use Cloudflare for everything else and it keeps things in one place.
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**Tips for picking a domain:**
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- Keep it short and memorable
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- `.com` is most professional
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- Avoid hyphens and numbers
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**Ask your AI:** "How do I buy a domain name on Cloudflare Registrar?"
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---
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### 3. A Cloudflare Account
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Cloudflare is the service that sits between the internet and your home computer.
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It hides your home IP address, handles all the security, and routes traffic to
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your services. Best part: everything you need is on their free plan.
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Go to cloudflare.com and create a free account.
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If you bought your domain from Cloudflare Registrar, your account is already set up.
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If you bought it elsewhere, you will need to move it to Cloudflare — ask your AI how.
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---
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### 4. A Cloud VPS (Virtual Private Server)
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A VPS is a small computer that rents space in a data center. It runs 24 hours a day
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even when your home computer is off. This is what keeps your websites online when
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you are travelling or when your home internet goes down.
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**Recommended provider:** Hetzner (hetzner.com) — excellent value, based in Germany.
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**Plan to choose:** CX22 — 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB disk — approximately €4/month.
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Create a Hetzner account, then ask your AI: "How do I create a new CX22 VPS on Hetzner
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with Ubuntu 24.04?"
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This second computer will be called **kscloud1** throughout this guide.
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---
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### 5. A Tailscale Account
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Tailscale is a free service that creates a private, encrypted connection between your
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home computer and your cloud VPS. Think of it as a private tunnel that only your
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devices can use.
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Go to tailscale.com and create a free account.
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---
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### 6. An OpenRouter Account (for AI services)
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OpenRouter gives you access to dozens of AI models for free (with rate limits) or
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for very low cost. Your KiteStacks AI service will use this.
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Go to openrouter.ai and create a free account.
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---
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## Setting Up Your Home Computer (monk)
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Once Ubuntu is installed on your home computer, open a terminal. On Ubuntu,
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press `Ctrl + Alt + T` to open one.
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You will see something like:
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```
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kenpatmonk@monk:~$
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```
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That `$` means you are ready to type commands.
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**First, update your system. Ask your AI what this does, then run it:**
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```bash
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sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
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```
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**Then install some tools you will need:**
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```bash
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sudo apt install -y curl git nano wget
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```
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**Ask your AI:** "What does `sudo apt install` do and why do I need curl, git, nano, and wget?"
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---
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## Setting Up Your Cloud VPS (kscloud1)
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After creating your VPS on Hetzner, you will get an IP address (something like `5.78.233.28`).
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You connect to it using a tool called SSH.
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**Ask your AI:** "What is SSH and how do I connect to my VPS from Ubuntu?"
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The basic command looks like this:
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```bash
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ssh root@YOUR_VPS_IP
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```
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Replace `YOUR_VPS_IP` with the actual IP Hetzner gave you.
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Once connected, update the VPS just like you did on your home computer:
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```bash
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apt update && apt upgrade -y
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```
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---
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## Checkpoint
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Before moving to Step 2, make sure you have:
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- [ ] Ubuntu installed and running on your home computer
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- [ ] A domain name purchased and pointing to Cloudflare
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- [ ] A Cloudflare account (free)
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- [ ] A Hetzner VPS created with Ubuntu (noted your VPS IP address)
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- [ ] A Tailscale account (free)
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- [ ] An OpenRouter account (free)
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- [ ] You can open a terminal on your home computer
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- [ ] You can SSH into your VPS
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If any of these are not done, stop here and ask your AI for help completing them
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before moving on. Every future step assumes all of these are in place.
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---
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**Next:** [Step 2 — DNS and Cloudflare Setup](02-dns-and-cloudflare.md)
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