What This Site Is
I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I ran everything the “classic” way since the very beginning — spinning up a *nix box, installing web and mail servers manually, and grinning like a little child when it all finally worked.
Later, I played with a VM in VMware, only to find out what else I could break (and fix) next.
And then Docker arrived and upended everything.
I didn’t want to be a Docker person. I simply needed a place to dump an ever-growing heap of files, purchased a Synology NAS, and — like many of you — wondered:
“What can I make this thing do?”
That curiosity led me into containers. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps destiny. Either way, here we are.
Why I Write
Two reasons:
- To pay it forward — I’ve benefited from the help of generous souls on the internet, and this is my way of giving back.
- To keep a public record of my wins and losses (because, let’s be honest, the “oops” moments are the ones that really teach us).
If my experiments save you some time — or a few headaches — then all the better.
What You’ll Find Here
- Synology-first HOW-TOs
Focused on DSM’s UI (Projects in Container Manager). They’re here when you need them, and if you prefer to avoid the command line, you can. - Copy-ready configs
Examples ofdocker-compose.yml,Dockerfile, Nginx, PHP-FPM, and.env— with comments so you can tweak what’s needed. - Sane defaults
Performance, reliability, and security, without unnecessary complexity. - Reality checks
Lessons from what I did wrong, how I figured it out, and what I’d do differently next time.
How I Test
Every HOW-TO you see here is tested in my own Synology containers before I hit “publish.”
That said, your mileage may vary. Every setup is different, and I’m only human — I might miss something.
If something doesn’t work for you, leave a comment. I can’t guarantee a fix, but I’ll gladly try to work through it with you.
A Small Philosophy
You don’t need a degree to enjoy this stuff.
There are trailblazers who share their insights generously. The trick is learning how to pick good guidance, adapt it to your own situation, and make it yours.
If that’s your vibe, you’ll feel right at home here.