I am confused as what homeservers are. It seems this one is allowing me to run some apps. Does this mean I would otherwise not be able to use these apps if I did not have a homeserver? Also is there a difference between a homeserver and localhost?
Essentially, it's a single-click installer and management interface for a bunch of apps that you might want on your home server. Tipi isn't a "homeserver" itself, but it's goal is to let you turn any old computer (even if it's somebody's Windows desktop while they're not heavily using it) into a home server without needing server OS administration or related expertise.
Admittedly, a better title is "Tipi - a personal homeserver manager for everyone." But the idea behind the current title seems to be that it enables everyone—regardless of hardware and expertise—to run a homeserver.
A server provides software services. Your router could be considered a server: it helps your wifi devices get online and manages the Internet connection.
Tipi is an example of a pre-configured router, but as a server for certain apps: by using it, you don't have to set it up yourself. It comes with software that you can use, already available, installed, and configured. But it is a server too--and running in your home, it is a "homeserver."
You could likely use those same apps without Tipi, with varying amounts of time spent configuring something similar.
> Also is there a difference between a homeserver and localhost?
Yes, it would be different. If Tipi is running on a separate machine (the server), its localhost may load some kind of web control panel. However, when you visit localhost on your personal machine, if a web server is not running, the browser may just load an error page.
See this nearby comment for some advantages of running your own server(s) at home: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32794629
In your home you are protected (this is why Hillary's email server was self-hosted, to get the same rights against unreasonable search and seizure you get with US Mail), on the cloud the third-party doctrine rules and they can just give out your private data at any time.
(some providers have now said they won't give it out for requests about people seeking abortion, but that could end up in there when they search it based on a request about something else, and I don't know if any put the restriction on sharing abortion stuff with law enforcement in their actual legal agreements)
Some of these server apps are made available to others by hosts of servers. The more people hosting servers for their friends and family, the less we all rely on the big central services.
I will let you lookup the definition of localhost. You will need to learn some networking if you decide to host your own services, and I encourage you to do so. It is fun and empowering.
Basically, it allows you to run the apps that you were already running natively on your own computer, but now in a browser on your own computer :)
It means send this from my network connection to my network connection.
This homeserver is kind of like a smartphone loaded with default apps (and kinda not like that, too).
What I mean is that this homeserver is essentially a bunch of apps and a platform for running those apps all bundled together to make setup easier.
You can setup and run all the same apps yourself if you want, but it might be a lot of melodrama for little, no, or negative advantage (or it might not).
The same applies to the homeserver itself. It might not make your life easier and might make it worse.
Which is to say it might not be for you — it isn’t for me, because it seems like a bit of bother to address things I don’t really care about.
But it might be perfect for other people anyway.