Welcome to the official Bankai-Tech blog! This is where I'll be sharing news, tutorials, deep-dives, and thoughts on all things self-hosting, Docker, and homelab infrastructure.

After running dozens of Docker containers across multiple servers, I've compiled my top best practices for writing maintainable, secure, and efficient Docker Compose files.

Here are five Docker commands that have saved me hours of debugging time. Bookmark this one!

Before Proxmox, all my services ran on a single host with no isolation. One bad update could take down everything. Here's why I chose Proxmox and how virtualization transformed my homelab.

As we wrap up 2025, I wanted to reflect on the changes to my homelab setup, what worked, what didn't, and plans for the new year.

Running MariaDB in Docker is easy, but maintaining it properly requires some knowledge. Here's how to update, backup, and troubleshoot your MariaDB containers.

Running Windows VMs in your homelab? Here's how to set up a local KMS (Key Management Service) server for activation. This is completely legal for testing and development purposes with volume license keys.

The Arr suite has revolutionized home media management. Radarr, Sonarr, Lidarr, and friends work together to automatically find, download, and organize your media. Here's how to set up the complete stack.

Running multiple services on your homelab? A reverse proxy is essential for clean URLs, SSL certificates, and proper security. Here's how to set up Nginx as your gateway to everything.

If you're tired of Plex's subscription model, account requirements, and feature removals, Jellyfin might be your perfect media server. Here's why I made the switch and how you can too.