doc/whatsyunohost.md

What is YunoHost?
=================

<img src="/images/YunoHost_logo_vertical.png" width=400>

Goal
----

YunoHost is a **server operating system** aiming to make [self-hosting](selfhosting) accessible to as many people as possible, without taking away from the quality and reliability of the software. YunoHost supports [several kind of hardware](install). It is based on [Debian GNU/Linux](https://debian.org) and is fully compatible with it.

Features
--------

- <img src="/images/icon-debian.png" width=64> based on Debian ;
- <img src="/images/icon-tools.png" width=64> administrate your server through a **friendly web admin** ;
- <img src="/images/icon-package.png" width=64> easily **install applications** on your server ; 
- <img src="/images/icon-users.png" width=64> manage **users** <small>(based on LDAP)</small>;
- <img src="/images/icon-globe.png" width=64> manage **domains** ;
- <img src="/images/icon-medic.png" width=64> create and restore **backups** ;
- <img src="/images/icon-door.png" width=64> users can be logged in all apps through the **Single Sign-On** (SSO) system <small>(SSOwat)</small> ;
- <img src="/images/icon-mail.png" width=64> includes a **full email stack** <small>(Postfix, Dovecot, Rspamd, DKIM)</small> ;
- <img src="/images/icon-messaging.png" width=64> ... as well as **an instant messaging server** <small>(XMPP)</small> ;
- <img src="/images/icon-lock.png" width=64> ... a **SSL certificate** management system <small>(interfaced with Let's Encrypt)</small> ;
- <img src="/images/icon-shield.png" width=64> and **security systems** <small>(fail2ban, yunohost-firewall)</small> ;

Origin
------

YunoHost was created in February 2012 after something like this:

 <blockquote><p>"Shit, I'm too lazy to reconfigure my mail server... Beudbeud, how were you able to get your little server running with LDAP?"</p>
<small>Kload, February 2012</small></blockquote>

All that was needed was an administration interface for Beudbeud's server to make something usable, so Kload decided to develop one. Finally, after automating several configurations and packaging in some web apps, YunoHost v1 was finished.

Noting the growing enthusiasm around YunoHost and around self-hosting in general, the original developers along with new contributors decided to start work on version 2, more extensible, more powerful, more easy-to-use, and one that makes a nice cup of fair-trade coffee for the elves of Lapland.

Name
----

**YunoHost** comes from the jargon "Y U NO Host". The [Internet meme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_meme) should illustrate it:
<div class="text-center"><img style="border-radius: 5px; box-shadow: 0 5px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);" src="/images/dude_yunohost.jpg"></div>

Development
-----------

YunoHost is developed to be as **simple** and minimally-intrusive as possible, to retain compatibility with Debian. It merely proposes a package of automatic configurations for existing software, and is configurable via simple interfaces.

YunoHost is **entirely** a free software project. The philosophy of self-hosting is, to us, incompatible with any other model of software development.

Do not hesitate to visit the ["contribute" page](/contribute).

Security
--------

All the efforts have been made to keep YunoHost secure, and **communications encrypted**. You can read more about this subject on the related page:
[https://yunohost.org/security](/security)

What YunoHost is not?
---------------------

Even if YunoHost can handle multiple domains and multiple users, it is **not meant to be a mutualized system**.

First, the software is too young, not tested at large scale and thus probably not optimized to be put in production for hundreds of users at the same time. With that said, we do not want to lead the software in that direction. Virtualization democratizes, and its usage is recommended since it is a more leaktight way to achieve mutualization than a "full-stack" system like YunoHost.

You can host your friends, your family and your company safely and with ease, but you have to **trust your users**, and they have to trust you above all. If you do want to provide YunoHost services for unknown persons anyway, a full VPS per user will be just fine, and we believe is a better way to go.

Art Works
---------

Black and white YunoHost png logo done by ToZz (400 × 400 px):

<a href="/images/ynh_logo_black_300dpi.png"><img src="/images/ynh_logo_black_300dpi.png" width=220></a>

<a href="/images/ynh_logo_white_300dpi.png"><img src="/images/ynh_logo_white_300dpi.png" width=220></a>

Click to download.

Licence: CC-BY-SA 4.0