Proxmox LXC: The Complete Self-Hosting Guide for 2026

I've been running Proxmox VE as my primary homelab hypervisor for over two years. In that time I've set up dozens of LXC containers — everything from a full media server stack to local LLMs to self-hosted Git infrastructure. This page is the index I wish I'd had when I started: every guide I've written, organized by what you're trying to accomplish.

If you're new to Proxmox, start at the top. If you already have a working Proxmox node and want to add a specific service, jump straight to the relevant section.

Why LXC Containers Over Docker on Proxmox?

This is the question I get asked most. The short answer: LXC containers are closer to lightweight VMs — they have their own init system, networking, and filesystem. Docker is an application runtime. On Proxmox, you can run either, and often you'll run both. My take after running both for years is in my full Docker vs LXC comparison, but for most self-hosted services, LXC is the right default on Proxmox.

LXC containers use far less RAM than full VMs, start in seconds, and integrate cleanly with Proxmox's backup and snapshot tooling. A Jellyfin container on my Beelink EQ12 (~$189) uses about 400MB idle. The same setup in a full Ubuntu VM would use 1.5–2GB.

Hardware: Where to Start

You don't need server hardware to run a serious Proxmox homelab. I started on a Dell OptiPlex 7090 — a $120 refurbished mini PC — and it handled 8 LXC containers without breaking a sweat. Now I run a Beelink EQ12 with 32GB RAM and a WD Black 2TB NVMe (~$129), which is more than enough for everything on this page.

The two things that matter most: RAM (get at least 16GB, 32GB if you want to run local AI) and a fast NVMe drive. My full mini PC buying guide for Proxmox covers the specific models I've tested.

Networking and Remote Access

Once you have Proxmox running, the first problem is remote access. You don't want to punch holes in your firewall for every service. These are the solutions I've actually deployed:

• Tailscale on Proxmox — The easiest way to get secure remote access. Five-minute setup, zero port forwarding.
• Headscale on Proxmox LXC — Self-hosted Tailscale control server for full control without depending on Tailscale's infrastructure.
• NetBird on Proxmox LXC — Wireguard-based alternative to Tailscale/Headscale with a clean self-hosted option.
• Cloudflare Tunnels — Best for exposing web services publicly without opening ports. I use this for anything I want accessible without a VPN.
• Traefik v3 on Proxmox LXC — Automatic HTTPS for every service behind your firewall. The reverse proxy I run on everything.
• OPNsense on Proxmox — If you want a proper firewall layer, this is how I set it up as a Proxmox VM.

I run Traefik + Headscale as the base stack. Traefik handles HTTPS for internal services; Headscale handles remote access. The TP-Link 2.5G USB Ethernet adapter (~$29) is worth getting if your mini PC only has 1GbE — makes a noticeable difference for NAS workloads.

Media and Files

This is what most people come to self-hosting for. Replacing streaming subscriptions and cloud storage with something you own and control.

• Jellyfin on Proxmox LXC — Complete setup guide including hardware transcoding passthrough. My main media server.
• Jellyfin + the *arr Stack — Adding Sonarr, Radarr, and Prowlarr to automate your media library.
• Navidrome on Proxmox LXC — Self-hosted music streaming that replaces Spotify. Subsonic-compatible, so every app works.
• Immich 3.0 on Proxmox LXC — Google Photos replacement with face recognition and AI search. My favorite self-hosted app.
• Paperless-ngx on Proxmox LXC — Scan, OCR, and index every document you own. I've been paperless for 18 months.
• MinIO on Proxmox LXC — S3-compatible object storage for your homelab. I use it as the backend for Immich and Paperless.

Security and Authentication

Self-hosting means you're responsible for your own security. These are the two layers I consider non-negotiable:

• Vaultwarden on Proxmox LXC — Self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible password manager. I migrated off 1Password and haven't looked back.
• Authentik vs Keycloak on Proxmox LXC — SSO for your homelab services. Authentik wins for simplicity; Keycloak for enterprise compatibility.

AI and Local LLMs

Running AI locally on Proxmox is one of the most practical use cases in 2026. No API bills, no data leaving your network.

• Ollama on Proxmox with GPU Passthrough — Running Qwen 2.5 32B locally. Requires a GPU and PCIe passthrough setup.
• Cline + Ollama on Proxmox — Local AI coding assistant without the API costs.
• OpenClaw on Proxmox — Building a fully self-hosted AI assistant pipeline.

For local AI inference, RAM is everything. The Crucial 32GB DDR4 kit (~$59) is the upgrade I recommend first if you want to run 7B+ models comfortably.

Development Infrastructure

• Forgejo + Forgejo Actions on Proxmox — Self-hosted Git with real CI/CD. My GitHub replacement for personal projects.
• Forgejo vs Gitea on Proxmox LXC — Which self-hosted Git platform to choose in 2026.
• K3s on Proxmox — Running a production-grade Kubernetes cluster at home. For when you need the real thing.
• Coolify v4 on Proxmox LXC — Self-hosted PaaS that replaces Heroku/Render for deploying your own apps.

Monitoring and Management

Running 15+ containers means you need visibility into what's happening. These are the tools I actually keep open:

• Beszel vs Grafana + Prometheus — Lightweight monitoring vs full observability stack. My recommendation depends on your container count.
• Komodo on Proxmox LXC — The best free Portainer alternative for container management.
• Dockge vs Portainer on Proxmox LXC — If you're running Docker containers alongside LXC, which manager to use.
• Proxmox Backup Server — How I automated backups across all my LXC containers and VMs. Non-negotiable in a real homelab.
• Proxmox VE 9 Upgrade Guide — What changed, what breaks, and whether to upgrade now.

Automation

• n8n 2.0 Self-Hosted — I run n8n as an LXC on Proxmox. It handles all my Claude automation workflows and costs nothing per task.

Where to Start If You're New

If you're building a Proxmox homelab from scratch, here's the order I'd follow:

1. Pick your hardware — the mini PC guide will help
2. Install Proxmox VE and create your first LXC container
3. Set up Tailscale for remote access
4. Deploy Traefik for HTTPS
5. Add Vaultwarden for password management
6. Then pick whatever services you actually want to use