# 🎯 Service Categories

**🟡 Intermediate Guide**

This homelab runs **176 services** across **13 hosts**. Services are organized into logical categories based on their primary function. This guide helps you understand what's available and find services that meet your needs.

## 📊 Category Overview

| Category | Services | Complexity | Use Case |
|----------|----------|------------|----------|
| [🎬 Media & Entertainment](#-media--entertainment) | 25+ | 🟢-🟡 | Personal Netflix, photo management |
| [🔧 Development & DevOps](#-development--devops) | 20+ | 🟡-🔴 | Code management, CI/CD, monitoring |
| [💼 Productivity](#-productivity) | 15+ | 🟢-🟡 | Document management, finance tracking |
| [💬 Communication](#-communication) | 10+ | 🟡-🔴 | Chat, video calls, social media |
| [📊 Monitoring & Analytics](#-monitoring--analytics) | 15+ | 🟡-🔴 | System health, performance metrics |
| [🛡️ Security & Privacy](#️-security--privacy) | 10+ | 🟡-🔴 | Password management, VPN, ad blocking |
| [🤖 AI & Machine Learning](#-ai--machine-learning) | 5+ | 🔴 | Language models, voice processing |
| [🎮 Gaming](#-gaming) | 8+ | 🟡-🔴 | Game servers, multiplayer hosting |
| [🌐 Networking & Infrastructure](#-networking--infrastructure) | 10+ | 🔴 | Reverse proxy, DNS, network tools |
| [📁 Storage & Sync](#-storage--sync) | 8+ | 🟢-🟡 | File sharing, synchronization |

---

## 🎬 Media & Entertainment

**Transform your homelab into a personal media empire**

### 🎥 **Video Streaming**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Plex** | Atlantis | Netflix-like interface for your movies/TV | 🟢 |
| **Jellyfin** | Chicago VM | Open-source alternative to Plex | 🟢 |
| **Tautulli** | Atlantis | Plex usage statistics and monitoring | 🟡 |

### 📸 **Photo Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Immich** | Atlantis, Calypso | Google Photos alternative with AI features | 🟡 |
| **PhotoPrism** | Anubis | AI-powered photo organization | 🟡 |

### 🎵 **Music Streaming**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Navidrome** | Bulgaria VM | Spotify-like interface for your music | 🟢 |
| **YourSpotify** | Bulgaria VM, Concord NUC | Spotify statistics and analytics | 🟡 |

### 📺 **Content Discovery & Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Jellyseerr** | Atlantis | Request movies/TV shows for download | 🟡 |
| **Wizarr** | Atlantis | User invitation system for Plex/Jellyfin | 🟡 |

### 🏴‍☠️ **Content Acquisition (Arr Suite)**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Sonarr** | Atlantis, Calypso | TV show management and downloading | 🟡 |
| **Radarr** | Atlantis, Calypso | Movie management and downloading | 🟡 |
| **Lidarr** | Atlantis | Music management and downloading | 🟡 |
| **Prowlarr** | Atlantis | Indexer management for other Arr apps | 🟡 |
| **Bazarr** | Atlantis | Subtitle management | 🟡 |
| **Whisparr** | Atlantis | Adult content management | 🔴 |
| **SABnzbd** | Atlantis | Usenet downloader | 🟡 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Start with Plex or Jellyfin for video streaming, then add Immich for photos. The Arr suite is powerful but complex - add these services gradually as you understand your needs.

---

## 🔧 Development & DevOps

**Professional-grade development and operations tools**

### 📝 **Code Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **GitLab** | Atlantis, Chicago VM | Complete DevOps platform with CI/CD | 🔴 |
| **Gitea** | Calypso | Lightweight Git hosting | 🟡 |

### 🐳 **Container Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Portainer** | Multiple | Web UI for Docker management | 🟡 |
| **Dozzle** | Atlantis | Real-time Docker log viewer | 🟢 |
| **Watchtower** | Multiple | Automatic container updates | 🟡 |

### 📊 **Monitoring & Observability**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Grafana** | Atlantis, Homelab VM | Beautiful dashboards and visualization | 🟡 |
| **Prometheus** | Multiple | Metrics collection and alerting | 🔴 |
| **Node Exporter** | Multiple | System metrics collection | 🟡 |
| **cAdvisor** | Atlantis | Container metrics collection | 🟡 |
| **Uptime Kuma** | Atlantis | Service uptime monitoring | 🟢 |

### 🔍 **Development Tools**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **IT Tools** | Atlantis | Collection of useful web tools | 🟢 |
| **Draw.io** | Anubis, Homelab VM | Diagram and flowchart creation | 🟢 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Begin with Portainer for container management and Uptime Kuma for basic monitoring. GitLab is powerful but complex - consider Gitea for simpler Git hosting needs.

---

## 💼 Productivity

**Organize your digital life and boost productivity**

### 📄 **Document Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Paperless-NGX** | Atlantis | Scan, organize, and search documents | 🟡 |
| **Stirling PDF** | Atlantis | PDF manipulation and editing tools | 🟢 |
| **Calibre** | Atlantis | E-book library management | 🟢 |

### 💰 **Financial Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Firefly III** | Atlantis, Calypso | Personal finance management | 🟡 |
| **Actual Budget** | Calypso | Budgeting and expense tracking | 🟢 |

### 📝 **Note Taking & Knowledge**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Joplin** | Atlantis | Note-taking with sync capabilities | 🟢 |
| **DokuWiki** | Atlantis | Wiki for documentation | 🟡 |

### 📋 **Project Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **OpenProject** | Homelab VM | Project management and collaboration | 🟡 |

### 🔖 **Bookmarking & Archiving**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Hoarder** | Homelab VM | Bookmark and content archiving | 🟢 |
| **ArchiveBox** | Anubis, Homelab VM | Web page archiving and preservation | 🟡 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Paperless-NGX is excellent for going paperless with documents. Firefly III helps track finances, and Joplin is great for note-taking across devices.

---

## 💬 Communication

**Stay connected with friends, family, and communities**

### 💬 **Chat & Messaging**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Matrix Synapse** | Atlantis, Chicago VM | Decentralized chat server | 🔴 |
| **Element** | Anubis | Matrix client web interface | 🟡 |
| **Mattermost** | Bulgaria VM, Homelab VM | Team chat and collaboration | 🟡 |

### 🎥 **Video Conferencing**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Jitsi Meet** | Atlantis | Video conferencing and meetings | 🟡 |

### 🌐 **Social Media**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Mastodon** | Atlantis | Decentralized social networking | 🔴 |

### 📧 **Email**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Roundcube** | Homelab VM | Web-based email client | 🟡 |
| **Rainloop** | Bulgaria VM | Lightweight webmail client | 🟡 |

### 🔔 **Notifications**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Ntfy** | Atlantis, Homelab VM | Push notifications to devices | 🟢 |
| **Gotify** | Homelab VM | Self-hosted notification server | 🟢 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Start with Ntfy for simple notifications. Matrix is powerful but complex - consider Mattermost for easier team chat setup.

---

## 📊 Monitoring & Analytics

**Keep your homelab healthy and understand your usage**

### 📈 **System Monitoring**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Grafana** | Multiple | Dashboard and visualization platform | 🟡 |
| **Prometheus** | Multiple | Metrics collection and alerting | 🔴 |
| **Node Exporter** | Multiple | System metrics (CPU, RAM, disk) | 🟡 |
| **SNMP Exporter** | Multiple | Network device monitoring | 🔴 |

### 🐳 **Container Monitoring**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **cAdvisor** | Atlantis | Container resource usage | 🟡 |
| **Dozzle** | Atlantis | Real-time container logs | 🟢 |

### 🌐 **Network Monitoring**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Uptime Kuma** | Atlantis | Service availability monitoring | 🟢 |
| **Blackbox Exporter** | Atlantis | HTTP/HTTPS endpoint monitoring | 🟡 |
| **Speedtest Exporter** | Atlantis | Internet speed monitoring | 🟢 |
| **Pi Alert** | Anubis | Network device discovery | 🟡 |
| **WatchYourLAN** | Homelab VM | Network device monitoring | 🟢 |

### 💻 **System Dashboards**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Dash.** | Homelab VM | System information dashboard | 🟢 |
| **Fenrus** | Multiple | Homepage dashboard for services | 🟢 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Uptime Kuma is perfect for basic service monitoring. Add Grafana + Prometheus for detailed metrics once you're comfortable with the basics.

---

## 🛡️ Security & Privacy

**Protect your data and maintain privacy**

### 🔐 **Password Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Vaultwarden** | Atlantis | Bitwarden-compatible password manager | 🟡 |

### 🌐 **VPN & Remote Access**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Wireguard** | Multiple | Secure VPN for remote access | 🟡 |

### 🚫 **Ad Blocking & DNS**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Pi-hole** | Atlantis | Network-wide ad and tracker blocking | 🟡 |
| **AdGuard Home** | Multiple | Alternative DNS-based ad blocker | 🟡 |

### 🔒 **Privacy Tools**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Invidious** | Multiple | Privacy-focused YouTube frontend | 🟡 |
| **Piped** | Multiple | Alternative YouTube frontend | 🟡 |
| **Redlib** | Atlantis | Privacy-focused Reddit frontend | 🟢 |
| **Proxitok** | Multiple | Privacy-focused TikTok frontend | 🟢 |

### 📜 **Certificate Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Nginx Proxy Manager** | Multiple | Reverse proxy with SSL certificates | 🟡 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Vaultwarden is essential for password security. Pi-hole provides immediate value by blocking ads network-wide. Add Wireguard for secure remote access.

---

## 🤖 AI & Machine Learning

**Harness the power of artificial intelligence**

### 🧠 **Language Models**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Ollama** | Atlantis, Contabo VM | Run large language models locally | 🔴 |
| **LlamaGPT** | Atlantis, Guava | ChatGPT-like interface for local models | 🔴 |

### 🎙️ **Voice & Audio**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **OpenAI Whisper** | Homelab VM | Speech-to-text transcription | 🔴 |

### 💬 **AI Chat Interfaces**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **ChatGPT Interface** | Anubis | Web interface for AI chat | 🟡 |

**💡 Getting Started**: AI services require significant resources. Start with Ollama if you have powerful hardware (16GB+ RAM, good GPU). These services are resource-intensive and complex to configure.

---

## 🎮 Gaming

**Host your own game servers and gaming tools**

### 🎯 **Game Servers**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Minecraft** | Multiple | Minecraft server hosting | 🟡 |
| **Factorio** | Chicago VM | Factorio dedicated server | 🟡 |
| **Satisfactory** | Homelab VM | Satisfactory dedicated server | 🟡 |
| **Left 4 Dead 2** | Homelab VM | L4D2 dedicated server | 🔴 |

### 🕹️ **Gaming Tools**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **ROMM** | Homelab VM | ROM collection management | 🟡 |

### 🎪 **Entertainment**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Neko** | Chicago VM | Shared browser sessions | 🟡 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Minecraft servers are relatively easy to set up. Game servers require port forwarding and firewall configuration for external access.

---

## 🌐 Networking & Infrastructure

**Core networking and infrastructure services**

### 🔄 **Reverse Proxy & Load Balancing**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Nginx Proxy Manager** | Multiple | Web-based reverse proxy management | 🟡 |
| **Nginx** | Multiple | High-performance web server/proxy | 🔴 |

### 🌍 **DNS & Domain Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Dynamic DNS Updater** | Multiple | Keep DNS records updated with changing IPs | 🟡 |

### 📊 **Network Tools**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **iPerf3** | Multiple | Network performance testing | 🟡 |
| **WebCheck** | Homelab VM | Website analysis and monitoring | 🟡 |

### 🏠 **Home Automation**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Home Assistant** | Concord NUC | Smart home automation platform | 🔴 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Nginx Proxy Manager is essential for managing multiple web services. Home Assistant is powerful but complex - start simple with basic automation.

---

## 📁 Storage & Sync

**Manage and synchronize your files**

### ☁️ **File Sync & Sharing**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **Syncthing** | Multiple | Peer-to-peer file synchronization | 🟡 |
| **Seafile** | Calypso | Dropbox-like file hosting | 🟡 |
| **Droppy** | Bulgaria VM | Simple file sharing interface | 🟢 |

### 📦 **Package Management**
| Service | Host | Purpose | Difficulty |
|---------|------|---------|------------|
| **APT-Cacher-NG** | Calypso | Debian/Ubuntu package caching | 🔴 |

**💡 Getting Started**: Syncthing is excellent for keeping files synchronized across devices without cloud dependencies. Seafile provides a more traditional cloud storage experience.

---

## 🚀 Getting Started Recommendations

### 🟢 **Beginner-Friendly Services** (Start Here)
1. **Uptime Kuma** - Monitor your services
2. **Plex/Jellyfin** - Stream your media
3. **Vaultwarden** - Manage passwords securely
4. **Pi-hole** - Block ads network-wide
5. **Ntfy** - Get notifications

### 🟡 **Intermediate Services** (Add Next)
1. **Immich** - Manage your photos
2. **Paperless-NGX** - Go paperless
3. **Grafana + Prometheus** - Advanced monitoring
4. **Nginx Proxy Manager** - Manage web services
5. **Syncthing** - Sync files across devices

### 🔴 **Advanced Services** (For Experts)
1. **GitLab** - Complete DevOps platform
2. **Matrix Synapse** - Decentralized chat
3. **Home Assistant** - Smart home automation
4. **Ollama** - Local AI models
5. **Kubernetes** - Container orchestration

## 📋 Next Steps

- **[Service Index](index.md)**: Complete alphabetical list of all services
- **[Popular Services](popular.md)**: Detailed guides for most-used services
- **[Deployment Guide](../admin/deployment.md)**: How to deploy new services
- **[Host Overview](../infrastructure/hosts.md)**: Where services are running

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*Remember: Start small and grow gradually. Each service you add should solve a real problem or provide genuine value to your workflow.*