Reclaiming Data Ownership: The Complete Self-Hosted Architecture Alternative

As cloud vendor lock-in becomes a growing concern, this project demonstrates a fully self-hosted alternative that eliminates dependence on third-party infrastructure while maintaining both security and scalability. By containerizing every component—from the .NET 8 backend to PostgreSQL databases and media storage—the architecture proves that complete data sovereignty is achievable for those willing to manage their own infrastructure. The approach also introduces modern security patterns like Cloudflare Tunnels for outbound-only network access, offering privacy-conscious developers a practical path toward digital independence.