A comprehensive framework for deploying, securing, and maintaining resilient self-hosted services using containerization and automation.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install self-host
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install self-host using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Self-Host?
The Self-Host skill is a professional-grade roadmap for developers and enthusiasts looking to run their own services with the reliability of a cloud provider. It emphasizes a security-first approach, ensuring that every deployment is protected by hardened SSH configurations, reverse proxies, and automated SSL certificate management. By following these Openclaw Skills, users can move away from fragile, manual setups toward a robust architecture based on Docker fundamentals and declarative configurations.
This skill goes beyond simple installation, focusing on the entire lifecycle of a service. It covers critical maintenance tasks such as log rotation, resource monitoring, and the 3-2-1 backup rule to ensure data integrity. Whether you are managing a home server behind a CGNAT or a public VPS, this skill provides the technical guardrails necessary to prevent common mistakes like data corruption from OOM kills or security breaches from exposed database ports.
Self-Host Use Cases
- Deploying private web applications with automated Let's Encrypt SSL certificates.
- Setting up a secure home lab environment accessible via WireGuard or Tailscale VPN.
- Implementing automated backup routines for Docker volumes to prevent data loss.
- Migrating legacy applications to pinned Docker image versions for better stability.
- Establishing a centralized monitoring dashboard to track service uptime and disk health.
How Self-Host Works
- Resource and Maintenance Audit: Evaluate hardware requirements and project longevity before any deployment.
- Container Orchestration: Utilize Docker Compose with pinned versions and named volumes to ensure environment reproducibility.
- Network Isolation: Configure isolated Docker networks and reverse proxies to prevent direct exposure of sensitive backends.
- Security Hardening: Implement fail2ban, disable root SSH, and change all default credentials immediately upon deployment.
- Automated Maintenance: Set up log rotation, disk space monitoring, and offsite backups to ensure long-term system health.
Self-Host Setup
To begin using this skill, ensure your environment meets the core requirements for containerization. Openclaw Skills work best when the host system is properly prepared.
# 1. Install Docker and Docker Compose
sudo apt update && sudo apt install docker-ce docker-compose-plugin
# 2. Create a directory structure for your services
mkdir -p ~/self-hosted/app-name && cd ~/self-hosted/app-name
# 3. Initialize your compose file with restart policies
touch docker-compose.yml
# 4. Ensure log rotation is configured in /etc/docker/daemon.json
# to prevent disk exhaustion.
Self-Host Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill organizes data and configuration through a strict hierarchy to ensure portability and ease of backup. Here is how the Openclaw Skills framework structures your self-hosted environment:
| Component | Implementation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Service Config | docker-compose.yml |
Declarative service definition and metadata. |
| Environment | .env files |
Storage for secrets and site-specific variables (exclude from Git). |
| Persistent Data | Named Volumes | Isolated storage for database files and user uploads. |
| Certificates | Traefik/Caddy ACME | Automated SSL storage and renewal tracking. |
| Backups | 3-2-1 Strategy | 3 copies of volume data, 2 media types, 1 offsite location. |
Self-Host Advanced Features
- Support for DNS-01 challenges to generate SSL certificates for local-only services.
- Integration with Authelia or Authentik for centralized Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
- Advanced networking via project-specific Docker bridges to prevent cross-service interference.
- Infrastructure-as-code approach using Git repositories to track Docker Compose changes.
- Proactive monitoring integration with Uptime Kuma and Prometheus for real-time alerts.
SKILL.md
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