SelfHostBlocks

SelfHostBlocks is an opinionated server management distribution built on NixOS that provides modular NixOS modules ("blocks") to simplify long-term self-hosting. It packages a set of preconfigured services and shared building blocks that aim for reproducible, testable, and maintainable server setups.

Key Features

• Collection of reusable NixOS modules (blocks) that standardize configuration across services
• Built-in service integrations: automatic reverse proxy, certificate management, LDAP and SSO hooks
• Backup support and automatic creation of dedicated ZFS datasets per service
• Observability stack with Prometheus and Grafana and provided dashboards for monitoring
• Opinionated defaults with NixOS VM tests and Playwright checks to ensure services build and function together
• Contracts system to compose blocks flexibly and swap components like reverse proxies or databases
• Bundled support for common services such as Nextcloud, Jellyfin, Forgejo, Vaultwarden, Home Assistant and media/*arr stacks
• Designed for long-term maintenance, automatic updates, and tested inter-block interoperability

Use Cases

• Host personal or small-team groupware, media, and home services with consistent configuration and backups
• Build reproducible, test-driven NixOS server configurations that integrate LDAP/SSO and centralized monitoring
• Bootstrap a privacy-focused home or small datacenter environment with opinionated best-practices for backups and certificates

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires familiarity with Nix/NixOS and the project-specific patched nixpkgs; not targeted at Nix beginners
• Opinionated design means less flexibility for users who want entirely custom setups without adapting blocks
• Primarily maintained by a small team; users should expect community-driven support and occasional edge-case bugs

SelfHostBlocks is best suited for users who want a tested, modular NixOS-based platform to run common self-hosted services with built-in backups, monitoring, and identity integrations. It emphasizes reproducibility and long-term maintainability over lowest-effort installation.