Question for those who installed Ubuntu on their media server to run Jellyyfin

[Terrian]

I have only been using Ubuntu for a couple years (after 32+yrs on Win). So I consider myself a newb. When I installed Ubuntu 22.04 LTS on my laptop I created a separate /home directory. 

Now just got a Beelink SR12 Pro for using as a Jellyfin server (am also brand new to streaming and never used Plex or the like). I plan to install Ubuntu on it and Docker to run the Jellyfin server (also have zero exp with Docker - you see a pattern here). My question is, is there any advantage to creating a separate /home directory? Like will the docker container reside in /home ? (I use FreeFileSync to BU my laptop /home directory to a 1TB stick nightly on the laptop). 

My concern is that all this is all new to me and in 3 months won't remember a damn thing I did, so want an easy way to future-proof BUs and also if possible, upgrades of the Ubuntu OS. So that going fwd can be as much of a no-brainer as possible without my accidentally losing my JF container or the like.

EDIT: And of it matters, when I install Ubuntu I will remove Snap cause I don't like it and use apt instead.

Or if there is a better OS to use I am open to suggestions (except for Win due to its lack of privacy.) TIA

[TheDreadPirate]

The permission structure for /home is intended to silo each user's files from each other. Any files that need to be shared should be relocated. I do not recommend running a container or hosting media in /home.

You can make a /docker directory at the to run Jellyfin, or any other containers, out of. Most people store all their media in /media.

Personally, I prefer Ubuntu over Debian. But I have a Pro account so I make use of snaps and live kernel patching.

But a lot of people like Debian due to not having snaps, by default.

[Terrian]

Thank you very much for that insight. Being familiar with Ubuntu (vs any other distro) and knowing it takes only a couple commands to remove snaps, I'm good with Ubuntu on that count.

And thanks too for explaining about the structure and how /home is not appropriate for a container.

What concerns me more about using Ubuntu is from everything I've read (prior to this for my laptop) it is not recommended to upgrade to a new LTS, as apparently that process rarely results in a smooth problem-free OS... that installing fresh is recommended. I don't want to have to rebuild this server even though I realize LTS editions can be supported for several years. I have several computers to deal with and don't want the media server to be one more job. And if the container is in /media then ...

I guess I need to see if there are any simple, alternative light weight server-type OSs that will install Docker and JF, vs using a full blown DT operating system.

Are there advantages though, to having a full blown OS?

[TheDreadPirate]

LTS's are released every two years and are very well tested before release. You run into problems if you run apps that are either really out of date or rely on older libraries that are deprecated in a new LTS. But that issue is not unique to LTS. This issue happens in every distro with new releases.

I've upgraded in place a 22.04 install to 24.04 and there were zero issues. Including with Jellyfin.

OR you could just not upgrade. That is a perfectly OK thing to do since LTSes are supported for 5 years standard, 10 years with a Pro account. Keep in mind that Jellyfin will only support LTS releases of Jellyfin for the standard 5 year perod. And Jellyfin does not support, officially, any of the non-LTS releases.

You could install the CLI only server variant of Ubuntu. This is what I run. No, DT. Just command line. With regards to Jellyfin and/or Docker, there are no advantages to having a DT. Since Jellyfin is exclusively managed on the command line and Docker can (and IMO should) be managed exclusively from the command line.

Some NAS OSes like OMV and TrueNAS Scale, IMO, obfuscate Docker and OS management behind their UI. Sometimes even just locking down the OS. And you are reliant on their UI to implement all the available features of Docker or whatever app they've built a UI for. But command line management gives you 100% control. In addition to there being A LOT more documentation available for command line management of Docker, Jellyfin, {insert another CLI app here}.

[conor]

I'm curious why you want to use docker instead of just installing from the official jellyfin repo for Debian/ Ubuntu.

[Terrian]

Wow, thanks again for that detailed reply, and funnily enough I was just coming to ask if anyone uses OpenMediaVault as it looks really simple. So thanks for pointing out its weaknesses.

The good: upgrading your 22.04LTS to 24.04LTS went smoothly.

The bad (for me): I do not want to have to use CLI. For installation it's fine (and do on my laptop). But don't want to control apps/servers via CLI. That is a deal breaker for me. Is that required regardless, or only when the CLI-server Ubuntu variant is installed?

That brings up another question - is there an 'Ubuntu server' variant (with GIU) I should install, or just the standard DT package? And thanks again for all your time.

I know it's uncool and looked down on to be adverse to the CLI but am not a fan except when necessary. Point and click is faster, easier, and doesn't require looking up commands and plugging in a kybd to the mini PC. Can use an air mouse. (AM has a kybd too but it's not up to entering commands with any ease.)

[Terrian]

I'm curious why you want to use docker instead of just installing from the official jellyfin repo for Debian/ Ubuntu.

In all the reading I've done over the last few weeks I got the impression Docker is the preferred method... in fact I thought I saw it again in the official JF 'faq' that explains about what JF is and makes suggestions about how it should be setup but I could be mistaken about that. Cause I read it many different places. And if it's not preferred I'd like to know. 

From what I understand a container isolates JF and provides it with all its needed resources and makes it easy to migrate to another server if necessary (just copy the container over... again don't take anything I'm saying as fact - I know nothing, these are the impressions I got or things I think I remember), and also if you installed another platform on the same server (like a Plex or Channels server), each platform/server would be in its own container and so resources are better managed and they can all coexist without stepping on each others feet, essentially.

I have no plans of doing that now but I always like to 'future proof' my setups to leave them as flexible as possible in case as I grow in my knowledge I decide to expand.

Anyone who knows better than I do (which is everyone reading this) please correct me if I got anything wrong.

[TheDreadPirate]

There is no appreciable difference between the server and desktop variant other than the desktop variant coming with a DT pre-installed, plus a couple of other minor differences.

Jellyfin will automatically start when Linux starts. You can stop/restart from the dashboard. But if you stop from the dashboard you will need to start it from the command line. Unless you run it from docker, since Docker Desktop is a UI you can use for managing docker containers.

The primary benefit of using docker for Jellyfin over just installing it directly in Ubuntu is the self-contained dependencies and the consolidated Jellyfin data in one folder for easy migration and backup.

As for "isolation" and "security", that takes a lot of extra configuration that most beginners aren't prepared to tackle.

[Terrian]

There is no appreciable difference between the server and desktop variant other than the desktop variant coming with a DT pre-installed, plus a couple of other minor differences.

Jellyfin will automatically start when Linux starts.  You can stop/restart from the dashboard.  But if you stop from the dashboard you will need to start it from the command line.  Unless you run it from docker, since Docker Desktop is a UI you can use for managing docker containers.

The primary benefit of using docker for Jellyfin over just installing it directly in Ubuntu is the self-contained dependencies and the consolidated Jellyfin data in one folder for easy migration and backup.

As for "isolation" and "security", that takes a lot of extra configuration that most beginners aren't prepared to tackle.

That made things crystal clear. Thanks again for your patience and help.