Guides

Practical writing about running open-source AI yourself: what the hardware actually delivers, what the licences actually say, and what the bill actually looks like.

Where to start

If your question isRead
Can I run a model without a GPU at all?Running an LLM on CPU: what actually works
Which apps should I run together, and in what order?A self-hosted AI stack that actually holds together
My API bill is growing faster than usageCutting an LLM bill without cutting quality
My agents need tools on a server, not on my laptopHow to host an MCP server your agents can reach
I want an always-on personal assistantOpenClaw setup: what you need before you start
Can I self-host n8n, and can I charge for it?How to self-host n8n (and what the licence actually says)

What these guides assume

They are written for someone who can follow a README but does not want to become an infrastructure team: a developer adding an AI feature, an agency running tools for clients, an operations lead who has been asked to keep company data off third-party chat services. Numbers are from real CPU instances rather than benchmarks on hardware you will not rent, and every guide says when the honest answer is a GPU or a hosted API instead.

Each guide links to the applications it mentions, so you can go from the explanation to a running instance, and to the comparisons where a choice between tools comes up.

Put your AI stack on your own box

Pick an app, pick a size, and have it running today. Month to month, cancel whenever.