Hi, I got a small server as a for-fun-project and I really enjoy having it. With all the stuff going on in the world I would like to self host more things, but I’m pretty new to the scene. So far it’s just an old desktop with Ubuntu server os acting as media server. I would like to add some sort of lightweight and preferably open source file share akin to Google Drive with the ability to save/upload, view and edit files on the server from the outside internet. I’d also like a shared calendar that can also be accessed from the internet. Do you have any good recommendations this? Thanks
Accessed only by you and close family/friends who you are also hosting services for?
Or accessed by anyone?
“Accessed by anyone” carries more risk.
“Accessed by users you host for”, the risks can be eliminated (well, other than risks from those users) by using a VPN. As in, only the people authorised to be on the VPN can access the services.
Wireguard is the go-to these days.
Tailscale is much easier and free for 3 users and 100 nodes.
If it absolutely has to be “accessed by anyone” I would look into a “reverse proxy over VPN/tunnel” or just straight tunnel style approach like chisel (or crowbar, or corkscrew), rathole, frp, or cloudflare tunnels.
Basically, don’t point a domain at your home public IP and don’t forward ports on your home router/firewall
I would prefer that it’s only accessible for users I approve through some sort of whitelist. That would be friends and family.