Although one of the main reasons for our Build your own homelab series is to save money, not all services will be cheaper hosting them yourselves as opposed to getting a paid subscription. One such example is Reactive Resume that will remain free for a cloud account as well as self hosting it. So why would one then want to self-host it? Is it even worth the effort? Let’s first look at what Reactive Resume is and how it works.
What is Reactive Resume?
Reactive Resume is a web‑based, open‑source resume builder that simplifies crafting, updating, and sharing professional CVs with zero user tracking or advertising. It provides dozens of templates, ranging from classic to modern, alongside real‑time preview, drag‑and‑drop section layout, and optional OpenAI integration to enhance style, grammar, and tone. Under a single account, you can manage unlimited resumes, switch between light and dark modes, and translate your CV into multiple languages using ChatGPT, all while tracking views and downloads of your public resume links.
Reactive Resume Screenshot – Image Credit: rxresu.me
How Reactive Resume Works
The frontend is built with React and Vite, delivering a snappy, responsive experience for editing and previewing your resume in real time. The backend uses NestJS to expose a REST API, Prisma ORM to interact with a PostgreSQL database, and Minio as an S3‑compatible object store for avatars, PDF files, and preview images. A separate Browserless service runs headless Chrome to generate PDF exports and resume previews on demand. Redis handles caching and session management, while authentication is secured via JWT tokens, supporting email, GitHub, or Google sign‑in with optional two‑factor authentication.
That is quote a lot, and also very technical. Don’t worry if you don’t understand much of the tech stack, it is a one-click install to self host Reactive Resume in our Proxmox homelab, but even self-hosting it on Docker is extremely simple. Obviously to get an account and go the cloud route is even easier and seeing as it is free, it is a really attractive option.
Why Self‑Host Reactive Resume?
Self‑hosting gives you complete ownership of your resume data, ensuring nothing is stored on third‑party servers and eliminating any risk of external tracking or data breaches. There is no financial benefit as stated previously, seeing as the cloud account is also free. By running the application on your own infrastructure, you can customise templates, features, and integrations to suit your needs without waiting for central updates. Hosting your own instance may reduce long‑term costs compared to managed services and provides an opportunity to develop valuable DevOps skills in managing Docker, networking, and security configurations. It also improves reliability in scenarios with limited internet connectivity or strict data residency requirements.
Overview Of Self-hosting Reactive Resume
The full steps to self host reactive resume in Docker can be found on their official website: https://docs.rxresu.me/product-guides/self-hosting-reactive-resume-using-docker
If you have a Proxmox instance, like we do, it is a lot simpler and you just need one install script from the amazing helper-scripts.com:
bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/main/ct/reactive-resume.sh)"The recommended specs is:
– 2 Core Processor
– 4 GB RAM
– 8 GB Storage
Pros and Cons of Self‑Hosting Reactive Resume
Pros
- Full data ownership & privacy: No external telemetry or ads; you control where and how your data is stored.
- Deep customisation: Modify templates, layouts, and even core code to fit your branding or workflow.
- Skill development: Gain hands‑on experience with Docker, Linux administration, and security best practices.
Cons
- Ongoing maintenance: You’re responsible for applying security patches, managing backups, and monitoring uptime.
- Technical complexity: Initial setup involves Docker Compose,
.envmanagement, and secret generation, which can be challenging for non‑technical users. The LXC alternative is super easy, but still require a Proxmox instance. - Infrastructure costs: VPS hosting, SSL certificates, and ancillary services (e.g., SMTP) may incur fees that offset savings.
- No managed support: Troubleshooting, scaling, and updating depend entirely on your team’s capacity and expertise.
Self‑Hosting vs Hosted at rxresu.me
Self‑hosting requires provisioning infrastructure, installing Docker and Docker Compose, and configuring environment variables and secrets, whereas the hosted service at rxresu.me needs only a quick sign‑up with email, GitHub, or Google to start immediately. The hosted option is free forever, with automatic updates, SSL, and maintenance handled by the Reactive Resume team, while self‑hosting places all update, backup, and certificate management duties on you. Self‑hosting grants full privacy and control over data residency; the hosted service stores data under its privacy policy, which is minimal but not entirely under your sole control. Finally, self‑hosted instances allow deeper customisation and feature extensions from source, whereas hosted users are limited to the core feature set released by the project maintainers.
Conclusion
Reactive Resume offers a modern, privacy‑first platform for building, sharing, and managing resumes, available both as a zero‑setup hosted service at rxresu.me and as a self‑hostable application for full data control GitHub. While the hosted service provides instant access, automated maintenance, and free usage, self‑hosting empowers you with complete ownership, customisation flexibility, and DevOps skill growth at the cost of infrastructure management and security upkeep GitHubWikipedia. Whether you prefer the convenience of a hosted solution or the autonomy of self‑hosting, Reactive Resume delivers a comprehensive, user‑friendly resume builder for everyone rxresu.me.