> Sometimes the difference between a 'production-ready stack' and 'why is my NAS on fire?' is one missing space in a YAML file. *bang head on wall here*
a single `docker-compose.yml`, neat and tidy, humming along like a well-trained orchestra. Then I added *one* new service—my self-hosted note app—and everything fell apart.
### The Symptoms
- Containers refusing to start with no useful logs
- DNS loops that made my router question its purpose
- My wife asking, “Why is our TV buffering when you touch the server?”
### The Diagnosis
Turns out, I nested a volume mount under the wrong key.
YAML: 1 — Human: 0.
### The Fix
A humble indent.
Four spaces, to be precise.
Suddenly the world made sense again, DNS was stable, and my cat stopped judging me.
### Lessons Learned
1.**Version control everything**, even your test Compose files.
2.**Automate backups** before you “just try something real quick.”
3.**Celebrate small victories**—sometimes the win is just getting your network back online before dinner.
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If you read this and thought, “I’ve been there,” then welcome to the club.
Homelabs teach patience, humility, and the thrill of a perfectly clean `docker ps` output.
*Stay tuned for next week’s adventure: rebuilding my reverse proxy after a 301 loop ate my weekend.*
