Docker or Native Ubuntu

[artincube]

Hello everybody
I have a choice for my Jellyfin Install.
My home server is an Apple MacBook Pro from 2012 (16GB Ram) with a broken screen.
Main data storage is on the Thunderbolt 2 ports.
It is running Ubuntu Jammy, rclone webdav for Joplin, and Docker for Photoprism, NGinx Proxy Manager. For now.
My instinct is to run JellyFin also in Docker to simplify and keep things clean but JellyFin can also be installed on Ubuntu directly.
What would be the pros and cons of both solutions for hat hardware? Would I have good reasons to choose one way or the other?
I experimented a bit with JellyFin on an even older hardware with TrueNas Core and I know that it does well what I am looking for.
thank you.

[skribe]

It's really up to you, and both choices are probably fine for most people. The pros of Docker are that upgrades are as simple as replacing the container, and you'll never need to worry about dependencies etc (though this is basically never a problem using the package installs either). The cons are that it'll add some additional complexity to the networking, GPU, and storage configuration, and it can complicate support and troubleshooting.

On the balance, I generally recommend that people run bare metal unless there is a very specific reason to do otherwise, but it's really a matter of personal preference. But bare metal has better community support and fewer quirks. There isn't really a disadvantage to simply using the installation script, especially for Debuntu platforms.

[bitmap]

As a huge plus for Docker, migration from a dead or outdated server to a new one is a snap. I've done it twice now. I'd disagree on the idea of complexity with regards to storage, GPU, etc... unless you know nothing about docker and don't plan to use it for anything else. If you're new to docker and have no interest in running other services, stick to bare metal. If you run quite a few services and maybe want to expand, look into compose and how easily you can control and monitor an entire stack of services with a single yaml file (or organize it by having one for each service, then a main file that "extends" these services).

Docker means if I break shit, I kill the container and prune my volumes. Bare metal? Slightly more complicated. In some cases, full rebuild more complicated.

[artincube]

Thank you both for argumented opinions.
I am relatively new to both Ubuntu (but with decades experience on MacOS, understanding of bash/zsh scripting, I feel quite at home for the most part) and Docker (I have managed to deal with the storage and networking aspects,, compose and more).
I have to say I am very impressed with Docker after a few weeks experimenting. And when I broke things I just killed the containers and rebuild etc as bitmap suggests. So I think I'll build in Docker for peace of mind. And I kind of have the feeling the laptop will not last very long, so indeed the migration to a new machine is something I expect in the next 2 years at most.
The only thing I do not understand well, still, is the GPU part. Even on Ubuntu I've had a lot of trouble with the proprietary drivers (Nvidia 650M in my laptop). It seems to work now but I haven't investigated if its potential capabilities are used either in Ubuntu or Docker.

[bitmap]

Follow the Jellyfin docs on HWA: https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/admini...on/nvidia/

There's even a section for Docker with NVIDIA. There is a proprietary containerization toolkit linked in the guide. Follow the guide for drivers, then install the container toolkit. It's pretty well-written, though may not have been updated super-recently.

[artincube]

Follow the Jellyfin docs on HWA: https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/admini...on/nvidia/

Thanks... but
Ouch. I quickly looked through and on the link
Video codec support can be checked via the NVIDIA GPU Codec Support Matrix prior to buying a GPU suitable for hardware acceleration.
https://developer.nvidia.com/video-encod...matrix-new
The 650M is not listed anywhere.

I guess that means I am out of luck for any GPU encoding/decoding.

650M is pre-Maxwell