Short answerSelf-hosting means the invoices live on a computer you control and nobody else can see them, and it also means you do the maintenance: access, backups, HTTPS and updates.
The plain-language version
With a hosted invoicing service you sign in to a company’s website and your records live in their systems. With self-hosted software like Mavri you run the application yourself, on a server, a home machine or a NAS, and the records live there.
What you gain
- Records in one place you choose. Mavri stores them in a SQLite database in its data folder.
- No account with a vendor. You create the owner account inside your own installation.
- Fewer outside connections. Mavri has no analytics or tracking. Its only automatic connection is an optional version check to GitHub, which you can switch off with
UPDATE_CHECK=off. - You choose when to update.
What you take on
- Access. Anyone who can reach the server or the data folder can reach your invoices. Use strong passwords and keep the machine patched.
- HTTPS. If Mavri is reachable from the internet, put it behind HTTPS. Behind a reverse proxy, the documentation says to set
COOKIE_SECURE=trueandTRUST_PROXY=1. - Backups. Nobody can restore your data for you. See how to back up Mavri.
- Updates. On CasaOS with the bundled updater there is an Update now button. Elsewhere you pull the new image yourself.
Not automatically secureSelf-hosting gives you control, not safety. A neglected server can be less safe than a well-run hosted service.
Who it suits
People who are comfortable with Docker, or have someone who is, and who want invoices, quotes and client records on infrastructure they control. If you would rather not maintain a server, a hosted service may be the better fit, and that is a fair choice.
Questions to ask yourself first: Where will it run? Who can reach it? Where do backups go? Who updates it?
Sources
About the authorRaktim Ranjit created Mavri and leads the project at NodeDR Infotech Private Limited. See About.