AI-Homelab

Leverage Github Copilot in VS Code as a complete homelab management interface.

Overview

This repository provides a comprehensive, production-ready homelab infrastructure using Docker Compose with Dockge, featuring 60+ pre-configured services. Integrated AI assistance through GitHub Copilot helps you create, modify, and manage Docker services while maintaining consistency across your entire server stack.

The infrastructure uses Traefik for reverse proxy with automatic SSL, Authelia for Single Sign-On, Gluetun for VPN routing, and DuckDNS for dynamic DNS - all managed through file-based configurations that the AI can manage.

Designed to be noob friendly

• simple install process
• Just tell the AI what you want
• doesn't require setting up a raid
• you can start with the hardware you have and add raid as your homelab grows
• The AI can guide you through advanced concepts
  • setting up a raid and transfering your data
  • adding a 2nd or 3rd server to your homelab

Features

• AI-Powered Management: GitHub Copilot integration with specialized instructions for Docker service management
• Automated Setup & Deployment: Two-script installation process with intelligent error handling
• Dockge Structure: All stacks organized in /opt/stacks/ for easy management via Dockge web UI
• 60+ Pre-configured Services: Production-ready compose files across infrastructure, media, home automation, productivity, and monitoring
• Traefik Reverse Proxy: Automatic HTTPS with Let's Encrypt wildcard certificates via DNS challenge
• Authelia SSO: Single Sign-On protection for all admin interfaces with automated password generation
• Gluetun VPN: Surfshark WireGuard integration for secure downloads
• Homepage Dashboard: AI-configurable dashboard with automatic domain variable replacement
• External Host Proxying: Proxy external services (Raspberry Pi, routers, NAS) through Traefik
• Stack-Aware Changes: AI considers the entire infrastructure when making changes
• Comprehensive Documentation: Detailed guidelines including proxying external hosts and troubleshooting
• File-Based Configuration: Everything managed via YAML files - no web UI dependencies

Documentation

• Getting Started: Step-by-step setup guide
• Services Reference: Complete list of all 60+ pre-configured services
• Docker Guidelines: Comprehensive guide to Docker service management with Dockge
• Quick Reference: Command reference and troubleshooting
• Proxying External Hosts: Guide for proxying Raspberry Pi, routers, NAS via Traefik
• Copilot Instructions: AI assistant guidelines (Traefik, Authelia, Dockge aware)

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Docker Engine 24.0+ installed
• Docker Compose V2
• Git
• VS Code with GitHub Copilot extension (for AI assistance)
• A domain from DuckDNS (free)
• Surfshark VPN account (optional, for VPN features)
• Sufficient disk space: 120GB+ system drive (NVMe or SSD highly recommended), 2TB+ for media & additional disks for services like Nextcloud that require lots of space

Quick Setup (Dockge Structure)

1. Clone the repository into your home folder:

   cd ~
   git clone https://github.com/kelinfoxy/AI-Homelab.git
   cd AI-Homelab
   

2. Create and configure environment file:

   cp .env.example .env
   nano .env  # Edit with your domain, API keys, and passwords
   

   Alternatively you can ssh in from VS Code using the Remote-SSH plugin and edit in a nice editor

   IMPORTANT: Keep your .env file in the repository folder (~/AI-Homelab/.env). The deploy script will automatically copy it where needed.

   Required variables:

   • DOMAIN - Your DuckDNS domain (e.g., yourdomain.duckdns.org)
   • DUCKDNS_TOKEN - Your DuckDNS token from duckdns.org
   • ACME_EMAIL - Your email for Let's Encrypt certificates
   • SURFSHARK_USERNAME and SURFSHARK_PASSWORD - If using VPN features

   Note: Authelia secrets (AUTHELIA_JWT_SECRET, AUTHELIA_SESSION_SECRET, AUTHELIA_STORAGE_ENCRYPTION_KEY) are automatically generated by the setup script, leave default values for now.

   See Getting Started for detailed instructions

3. Run first-run setup script:

   This automated script handles system preparation and Authelia configuration. Safe to run on partially configured systems - it skips completed steps.

   sudo ./scripts/setup-homelab.sh
   

   The script will:

   • Install Docker Engine + Compose V2 (if needed)
   • Configure user groups and firewall
   • Detect NVIDIA GPU and offer driver installation
   • Generate Authelia secrets automatically
   • Create admin user and password hash
   • Set up directory structure and Docker networks

   Important: Log out and back in (or run newgrp docker) after setup completes.

4. Run deployment script:

   This automated script will:

   • Configure Traefik with your email and domain
   • Obtain wildcard SSL certificate (*.yourdomain.duckdns.org) via DNS challenge
   • Deploy core stack (DuckDNS, Traefik, Authelia, Gluetun) - 4 services
   • Deploy infrastructure stack (Dockge, Pi-hole, monitoring) - 6 services
   • Deploy dashboards stack (Homepage with configured URLs, Homarr) - 2 services
   • Prepare 7 additional stacks in Dockge (not started, ready to deploy)
   • Wait for services to be healthy
   • Open Dockge in your browser

   ./scripts/deploy-homelab.sh
   

   Note: The script will prompt to optionally pre-pull images for additional stacks. This takes time but speeds up future deployments. Default is no. Wildcard certificate generation takes 2-5 minutes.

5. Deploy additional stacks through Dockge:

   Log in to Dockge at https://dockge.yourdomain.duckdns.org - all stacks are already loaded and ready to deploy:

   • media - Plex, Jellyfin, Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, qBittorrent
   • media-extended - Readarr, Lidarr, Mylar, Calibre
   • homeassistant - Home Assistant, Node-RED, Zigbee2MQTT, ESPHome
   • productivity - Nextcloud, Gitea, Bookstack, Outline, Excalidraw
   • monitoring - Grafana, Prometheus, Uptime Kuma, Netdata
   • utilities - Duplicati, Code Server, FreshRSS, Wallabag
   • alternatives - Portainer, Authentik (alternative to Dockge/Authelia)

   Simply click any stack in Dockge and press "Start" to deploy it.

6. Configure VS Code to control the server via GitHub Copilot

   Install and configure the GitHub Copilot extension in VS Code, then use the Copilot chat window to manage your homelab.

   Tip: Use free models for simple tasks like starting/stopping services, and premium models for complex configurations.

AI Capabilities and Examples

Ask the AI to modify anything about the AI-Homelab folder to suit your purposes.

Want to change /opt/stacks to something else? Just tell the AI what you want.
Prefer Portainer over Dockge? Ask the AI to refactor the entire AI-Homelab folder to convert to Portainer as default instead of Dockge.
Don't like the selection of included services? Tell the AI exactly what services you want and what you don't.
Don't like how the services are arranged in the stacks?
Want to replace one service with a different service?

Just tell the AI what you want.

• "Help me add a new media service to my homelab"
• "Configure Traefik routing for my new service"
• "Add Authelia SSO protection to this service"
• "How do I proxy my Raspberry Pi through Traefik?"
• "Create a Homepage widget for this service"
• "Help me reorganize or customize my Homepage"
• "Route this download client through Gluetun VPN"
• "Disable SSO for Wordpress"

The AI assistant automatically follows the guidelines in .github/copilot-instructions.md

• to use /opt/stacks/ directory structure,
• configure Traefik labels,
• apply Authelia middleware where appropriate,
• suggest /mnt/ for large data storage,
• add services to Homepage dashboard with widgets,
• maintain consistency with existing services,
• and consider the entire stack when making changes.

License

This project is provided as-is for personal homelab use.

Acknowledgments

• Docker and Docker Compose communities
• LinuxServer.io for excellent container images
• GitHub Copilot for AI assistance capabilities
• All the open-source projects used in example compose files

Support

For issues, or questions:

• Use GitHub Copilot in VS Code for real-time assistance
• Consult the comprehensive documentation