From Python Basics to My Own Django Server: How I Built and Self-Hosted My Website

Alright, so let me tell you the story of this glorious Django website I somehow managed to build without accidentally blowing up my server or setting my house on fire. For years I wanted a place to dump all my projects — DIY builds, experiments, whatever nonsense I get into. But instead of throwing it all on social media like everybody else, I got it into my head that I should build my own website. From scratch. Like a lunatic.

And the whole thing really started because I took a damn Python fundamentals course on Udemy. One beginner class. Suddenly I'm spinning up virtual machines, messing with Linux, and pretending I’m some kind of system administrator (hint, I am...). What started as “print(‘Hello World’)” somehow escalated into a self-hosted Django site running on an ESXi VM, protected by Cloudflare Tunnel, sitting on Ubuntu 24.04, with a generous dose of AI babysitting me through every panic attack.

Learning the Fundamentals

Look, the course covered the usual stuff — variables, loops, functions — and I thought, “Cool, maybe I’ll automate renaming files or something.” Next thing I know, I’m building loan calculators, poking Raspberry Pi GPIO pins with Flask, and then meeting Django like it’s the boss battle of Python frameworks.

Django promised structure, clarity, and a sense that maybe — just maybe — I wouldn’t break everything every five minutes. So yeah, that became the plan: build my own website, the hard way, from the ground up.

Planning the Project

I wasn’t about to spin up some WordPress site like a normal person. No, no — I wanted to learn how all the plumbing works. Web servers, configs, firewalls, the whole enchilada. I basically decided to become my own IT department overnight.

My goals looked something like this:
Actually learn stuff: no copy-paste zombies
Self-host everything: because suffering builds character
Spend almost no money: but still pretend I’m a professional
Make it secure: Cloudflare Tunnel = “no router ports for you!”
Use AI:* because without it I’d still be stuck on step one

Tech Stack

• Django: the spine of this whole thing
• SQLite: because I’m not running Amazon over here
• HTML + Tailwind: clean, simple, and makes me look like I know UI
• Ubuntu 24.04 Server: command line only, baby
• Gunicorn + Nginx: the bouncer and bartender of the website
• Cloudflare Tunnel: the “don’t worry about your ISP” button

Setting Up the Server Environment

Since I already had ESXi 7 running on my machine, I figured, “Why not shove another VM on here?” It’s stable, fast, and makes me feel like I own a tiny, janky datacenter.

The VM setup:
Hypervisor: ESXi 7
OS: Ubuntu Server 24.04
Specs: 2 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 60GB SSD
Network: Cloudflare Tunnel — zero ports exposed like a responsible adult

Ubuntu install was smooth — well, as smooth as something can be when you spend half the time googling command options. But once SSH was up, I felt unstoppable.

Installing Django and Building the Site

Once I had Python set up, I threw Django into a virtual environment and got to work. None of that big-boy database stuff yet — SQLite does the job and doesn’t complain.

The build steps:
1. django-admin startproject — the moment things got real
2. Created models, views, pages — all the website guts
3. Enabled the legendary Django Admin — absolute game-changer
4. Configured static and media handling — after yelling at it for an hour

AI helped the whole way, like a calm supervisor watching a toddler play with power tools.

Connecting It to the Internet

Here’s where things got magical. Instead of opening router ports (aka the “hack me please” strategy), I used Cloudflare Tunnel. And suddenly my site was live, secure, and not screaming into the void.

The process:
1. Installed cloudflared
2. Hooked it to my domain through Cloudflare
3. Made the tunnel config
4. Pointed it at Django
5. Boom — SSL for free, baby

To my complete shock: it worked.

Content and Features

With the backend sorted, I built out sections based on all my hobbies — because if there’s anything I have too many of, it’s hobbies.

Site sections:
Projects — the stuff I actually finish
Sim Racing — the excuse I use to buy more gear
Retro Gaming — because pixels > realism
Arm Wrestling — don’t ask, just roll with it
DIY* — everything from woodworking to “what if I wired this wrong?”

All managed through Django’s admin panel, which is honestly cheating with how good it is.

Lessons Learned

This whole thing turned into a crash course in basically everything: coding, servers, networking, security, debugging, and staying calm when you break your own website at 2 a.m.

Key takeaways:
AI is the MVP — saved me from myself more than once
SQLite is way better than people admit
Cloudflare Tunnel makes self-hosting actually sane
Snapshots in ESXi are literal guardian angels
Django Admin* is the best thing since sliced bread

Next steps? Probably switching to PostgreSQL, maybe Docker, maybe a monitoring dashboard for a more professional look.

Conclusion

Building and hosting this Django site became way more than a coding exercise. It turned into this full-blown adventure in self-sufficiency. What started with a random Udemy Python course is now a fully functional website — running on Ubuntu 24.04, tucked safely behind Cloudflare, managed by me, and powered by a little curiosity and a whole lot of AI guidance.

It’s my own corner of the internet. Built by hand. Cursed at frequently. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.