SourceBans++ — Self-Hosted, Open-Source

Admin, ban, and communication management system for games running on the Source engine.

License: CC-BY-SA-4.0. Built with: PHP, JavaScript, Smarty, SourcePawn, HTML, CSS, Hack. Website: https://sbpp.github.io/. Source: https://github.com/sbpp/sourcebans-pp.

How to install SourceBans++

Most self-hosted apps including SourceBans++ install through Docker or Docker Compose. The typical workflow is: install Docker on your host, pull the official image (or clone the repository), supply a configuration file with database credentials and storage paths, then start the container. Many homelabbers run SourceBans++ alongside other self-hosted services behind a reverse proxy like Caddy, Traefik, or nginx-proxy-manager for HTTPS and routing. Check the official repository for the most current instructions.

Why self-host SourceBans++

Self-hosting gives you three things SaaS can’t: data ownership (the files live on disks you control), cost predictability (a one-time setup vs. recurring per-seat fees that grow with your household or team), and longevity (open-source means the app keeps working even if the maintainers move on, since you can pin a working version). The trade-off is that you take on the operational work of running a server, applying updates, and handling backups.

What hardware do you need

Most self-hosted apps run comfortably on modest hardware — a Raspberry Pi 4, a mini PC, a NAS with Docker support, or a small VPS is usually enough for personal or family use. CPU and RAM requirements scale with how many simultaneous users or how much data you push through SourceBans++. Storage requirements depend on the kind of data you keep; check the README for guidance on data retention.

Where to go from here

  • Browse the full self-hosted app directory
  • Compare self-hosted alternatives side-by-side
  • DevOps roadmap — learn the skills to run your own server