Ever wondered what’s powering this little corner of the internet? Well, you might be surprised to learn that this entire website is running on a tiny computer that’s literally just sitting on my desk – a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+.

The Hardware Behind the Magic

Yes, you read that right. This blog isn’t hosted on some massive server farm in a data center somewhere. Instead, it’s humming along quietly on a credit card-sized computer that draws about as much power as a small LED light bulb. The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ might be small, but it’s more than capable of serving up web pages, handling database queries, and keeping this site running 24/7.

The Software Stack

Under the hood, this little powerhouse is running:

• Raspberry Pi OS as the operating system (formerly known as Raspbian)
• Apache web server to handle all your requests
• MariaDB database to store all the content and settings
• WordPress as the content management system that makes writing and managing posts like this one a breeze

It’s a classic LAMP stack (well, technically LMAP since we’re using MariaDB instead of MySQL), but running on ARM architecture instead of traditional x86 servers.

From Collecting Dust to Serving Pages

Here’s the thing – this Raspberry Pi was literally collecting dust on my shelf for months. Like many tech enthusiasts, I had grand plans when I first bought it, but it eventually found its way into that drawer where good intentions go to hibernate.

That all changed thanks to my colleague and friend Frederick. During one of our conversations, he mentioned his own website projects and got me thinking about starting my own blog again. Frederick runs his own fascinating blog about astrophotography at ttg-astrophotography.blog, where he shares incredible images and insights from his stargazing adventures. Sometimes all it takes is the right person at the right moment to spark an idea back to life.

Why a Raspberry Pi?

You might be wondering why anyone would choose to run a website on a Raspberry Pi when there are so many cloud hosting options available. Here are a few reasons that made sense for me:

Learning Experience: There’s something satisfying about understanding every component of your web stack, from the hardware up to the application layer.

Cost Effective: After the initial hardware cost, the only ongoing expense is electricity (which is minimal) and internet connectivity.

Complete Control: No shared hosting limitations, no mysterious server configurations – just pure, unadulterated control over every aspect of the setup.

Environmental Impact: A Raspberry Pi uses a fraction of the power that traditional servers consume.

Fun Factor: Let’s be honest – there’s just something cool about pointing to a tiny computer on your desk and saying “that’s my web server.”

The Challenges and Rewards

Running a website on a Raspberry Pi isn’t without its challenges. Performance isn’t going to match a dedicated server, and you need to be mindful of bandwidth limitations. But for a personal blog or small website, it’s more than adequate.

The real reward comes from the learning experience and the satisfaction of building something from the ground up. Every time someone visits this site, they’re connecting directly to the little computer sitting right here next to my coffee mug.

Thanks, Frederick!

So here’s to Frederick, whose enthusiasm for web projects helped rescue my Raspberry Pi from its dusty exile and inspired me to start writing again. Sometimes the best tech projects start with a simple conversation between friends.

If you’ve got a Raspberry Pi gathering dust somewhere, maybe it’s time to give it a new purpose. Whether it’s a web server, a home automation hub, or your next learning project – these little computers are just waiting for their moment to shine.

This site is proudly powered by a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ running Raspberry Pi OS, Apache, MariaDB, and WordPress. Total server room footprint: approximately 25 square centimeters of desk space.