Foundations
Build the first useful version on a real piece of work.
BUILD / OPERATOR
Self-Host Your AI Stack
Put a small AI-enabled application on your own VPS without turning yourself into a full-time infrastructure engineer. Build a minimal Dockerized stack with private database, reverse proxy, secrets, health checks, backups, secure access and a promotion runbook you can actually operate.
Deep diveProven in the LabHands on
Builders moving from local/managed demos to a small VPSFounders who want cost/control without maintaining KubernetesTechnically curious operators comfortable following commands but needing an architecture they can reason about
Advanced Pack
Turn it into a repeatable system with deeper implementation, reusable assets and harder operating decisions. Free during Early Access.
Final Lab
Test the capability in a practical scenario when you want another round.
YOU'LL LEAVE WITH
A result you can take back to real work.
A small production-shaped self-hosted stack with containerized app/database, private network boundaries, TLS ingress, file-backed secrets, backup/restore evidence and operational runbook.
Deploy a small private-first stack on paper or a disposable host
Choose a simple topology, containerize app/database, bind services deliberately, add health checks and inspect what the host exposes before publishing a domain.
Operate the stack with security and recovery discipline
Add reverse proxy/TLS, secret handling, migrations, SSH/host hardening, backup/restore, observability, controlled deployment and an acceptance record tied to a revision.
WHAT ADVANCED ADDS
Take the method back to real work.
Advanced includes reusable artifacts, decision rules and implementation material designed to keep working after you close the Path.
Small VPS Reference Architecture
A deliberately boring topology for reverse proxy, loopback-bound app, private PostgreSQL, Docker network/volume and explicit migration job without unnecessary platform layers.
Host Hardening Checklist
SSH key access, root/password restrictions, firewall/listening-port inspection, updates and a record of what the host intentionally exposes.
Backup & Restore Runbook
A practical logical-backup procedure with checksums plus a restore rehearsal and explicit distinction between same-host safety copy and offsite disaster recovery.
PATH MAP
Build the first version. Then make it operational.
Foundations takes you through the first useful result. Advanced adds the implementation depth, harder cases and operating discipline needed to reuse it.
- 01Design the Smallest Useful TopologyFree
- 02Containerize App and DatabaseFree
- 03Bind Services Private FirstFree
- 04Add Health and Explicit MigrationsFree
- 05Inspect What the Host Actually ExposesFree
- 01Configure Reverse Proxy and TLSAdvanced
- 02Handle Secrets Without Baking Them InAdvanced
- 03Harden Host and SSH AccessAdvanced
- 04Build and Rehearse Backup/RestoreAdvanced
- 05Add Operational ObservabilityAdvanced
- 06Write the Promotion RunbookAdvanced
The VPS Is Up — Is It Actually Safe?
A small stack responds over HTTPS, but the database is exposed, secrets have wrong permissions and nobody has restored a backup. Diagnose the deployment and prioritize changes without rebuilding everything.
Complete Advanced, take on the scenario if you want to test the capability, and pass it to create a lightweight shareable record of the result.
How Lab Achievements work →BEGIN THE PATH
Start with a real result.
Sign in with email and work through Foundations for free. Complete Foundations and unlock Advanced free during Early Access.
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