Ever found yourself staring at your homelab setup, wondering if you should containerize everything with Docker or stick with good old VMs? You’re not alone! Whether you’re blocking ads with Pi-hole, streaming with Plex, or just tinkering for fun, choosing the right tool can feel like a tech tug-of-war. But here’s the thing—it doesn’t have to be.
In our latest post on Blurbify, we dive into the real-world pros and cons of Docker and VMs for homelab setups. No jargon overload, just practical insights from hands-on experience. Here’s a sneak peek:
Docker: Think of it as the zippy scooter of the tech world—lightweight, fast, and perfect for running multiple services without draining your resources. Need a Pi-hole to block ads? You can have it up and running in under 10 minutes. Plus, you can juggle 30+ containers on a single machine with just 8GB of RAM. (Yes, really!)
VMs: These are the heavy-duty RVs—full OS environments with rock-solid isolation. They’re ideal for legacy software, GUI-heavy tools, or anything needing direct hardware access (like that GPU for Plex transcoding). But beware: they’re resource hogs.
So, which one wins? Spoiler: it’s not a cage match. Many homelab enthusiasts are mixing both for the ultimate setup—Docker for efficiency, VMs for stability. It’s like peanut butter and jelly—different vibes, but oh-so-good as a team.
We’ve got real examples, like spinning up a Pi-hole in Docker or running a Windows Server VM for those apps that refuse to retire. And let’s be honest, we’ve all tried to squeeze one more service into our homelab without maxing out the RAM. Docker might just be your new best friend for that! But sometimes, you need the heavyweight power of a VM.
Curious to learn more? Head over to Blurbify to read the full article and get practical tips on optimizing your homelab setup. Whether you’re a weekend sysadmin or a full-time tinkerer, there’s something for you!
What’s your go-to choice for your homelab—Docker, VMs, or a mix of both? Let us know in the comments! 👇
Top comments (2)
Pretty cool, I always end up using whatever feels right in the moment - you ever think there's a point where adding more tools just makes things messier instead of better?
Absolutely, I’ve hit that point more than once—especially as my homelab started to grow and I found myself piling on tools just because they seemed cool or “essential.” 😅
I originally leaned on VMs because they felt like the easiest way to isolate and test different systems. But as I added more, everything started feeling heavier—more overhead, more maintenance, and definitely more RAM-hogging. It got messy fast.
Then I discovered Docker, and it felt like a breath of fresh air. Suddenly I could run 20+ services on the same hardware that used to choke on three VMs. But even then, Docker wasn’t the answer to everything. Plex, for example, still lives in a VM because I need GPU passthrough, and I have a couple of legacy apps that just don’t play nice in containers.
So yeah, there is a point where adding more tools creates more noise than value. Now I try to be intentional: if a tool adds simplicity, speed, or clarity, great. If it just adds more layers of abstraction and headache? Hard pass.
Docker for speed and agility, VMs for heavy lifting and isolation—and the right mix of both? That’s where the magic happens.
Ever found yourself uninstalling tools just to feel like your system can breathe again? 😄