Table of Contents

Choose Your Deployment Path

The guide supports two parallel deployment tracks. Choose one before proceeding to the Infrastructure Foundation section.

What this page covers

  • Detailed comparison of the Docker-only and Kubernetes (K3s) tracks
  • Guidance on which track fits your situation
  • How the guide presents both tracks side by side in later sections

Docker-only track

The Docker-only track uses Docker Compose to deploy every service. It is the right choice when:

  • You are running a single node and do not plan to add more.
  • You want the simplest operational model with the least moving parts.
  • You are new to self-hosting and want to get something running quickly.
  • You do not need automatic failover or workload scheduling.

Services in this track: Docker Compose stacks for Gitea, YouTrack, your container registry, and optional reverse proxy.

Kubernetes (K3s) track

The K3s track uses a lightweight Kubernetes distribution to schedule all workloads. It is the right choice when:

  • You want to run multiple nodes for redundancy or scale.
  • You want GitOps-driven deployments via Flux CD.
  • You are comfortable with Kubernetes concepts (pods, services, ingress, PVCs).
  • You want to follow standard cloud-native practices locally.

Services in this track: K3s cluster, Helm-deployed services, Longhorn storage, Traefik ingress, Flux CD.

How to proceed

After choosing your path, continue to Infrastructure Foundation. Each section that differs between tracks will present both options clearly labeled.