Updated September 7, 2026
MT Server is a free, open-source, local-first server platform being built to make private self-hosting practical for ordinary households and small organizations.
Dan Peters Designs is developing MT Server for people who want control of their files, photos, documents, recipes, games, backups, and useful digital services without becoming Linux administrators or signing up for another permanent stack of subscriptions.
Free software, not hardware sales
MT Server is free software. Dan Peters Designs is not selling computer hardware. Any computer pictured in MT Server materials is illustrative. The software is intended to run on compatible hardware the user already owns, reuses, or obtains independently.
One install stick, selectable services
The planned production MT Server release uses an external 128 GB USB flash drive (thumb drive) intended to carry the complete supported container catalog for that release. Basic is the default set of services turned on after installation, not a smaller installer or a different USB.
During guided setup, available applications are organized into practical categories. Users can select or deselect services as needed, allowing the same release media to create a simple household server, a specialized system, or a broader general-purpose installation, subject to hardware requirements.
For offline knowledge, MT Server includes the Kiwix engine for serving ZIM files. The release media will not necessarily include every ZIM database. Space permitting, releases will try to include a useful starter knowledge set, and additional compatible ZIM files can be added later.
MT Server is not a proprietary container ecosystem. It uses standard Docker containers. Users are not limited to the applications in the MT Server catalog and can add other compatible Docker containers, services, and contained applications as their hardware allows.
Disaster recovery: the computer is replaceable
The planned recovery system uses two portable items: the matching external 128 GB MT Server USB flash drive and the recommended external backup drive.
128 GB MT Server USB + external backup drive + compatible replacement computer with suitable drives = restored MT Server.
The server hardware is replaceable. The users’ data is not. This recovery model remains a core design requirement and will not be called production-ready until it passes a destructive clean-machine offline restore test.
Current development status
- One external 64 GB USB flash drive — the current alpha test stick — carries both the Debian installer and the MT Server payload.
- A fully disconnected end-to-end VM installation has completed with no network adapter.
- 478 automated tests are passing.
- External 64 GB alpha test USB payload preparation, checksum/readback verification, and filesystem checking have passed.
- The next major validation step is installation on disposable physical target hardware after final read-only media checks.
MT Server is still under active development and is not yet ready for general public installation.
Project: danpetersdesigns.com/mt-server
Testing / help: [email protected]
Dan Peters Designs — South Bend, Indiana