> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://diogo-home-lab.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Motivation

> This is what i need from my homelab (for now)

## Key Premisses

Here are the key premises I established at the start of my project:

1. **Node Amount:** I want my cluster to have 3+ nodes—2 nodes just doesn't feel "clustery" enough.
2. **Networking:** I want to have a switch and a router so I can learn these two infrastructure pieces hands-on.
3. **Portability:** I want my cluster to be portable and function identically both at home and at work.
4. **Looks:** It needs to look cool.
5. **Learning Curve > Power:** I prioritize beginner-friendly components over more computationally powerful ones.

<Note> This is my first attempt at "homelabbing." While the initial premises I defined and choices I made might not have been the "perfect" path, I believe it's better to get started than be stuck in a perpetual cycle of theory crafting. </Note>

## Purpose

The purpose of this build is to create a playground where I can learn and experiment with Kubernetes, ArgoCD, networking concepts like local DNS, hosting public and private services, self-hosted MLOps, and much more.

While the projects don't need to be at peak computational performance, the environment should provide an authentic experience of setting up enterprise-level tools—like deploying ArgoCD on a Kubernetes cluster.

<Tip> Ultimately, I want an environment where **I can explore and experiment freely.** </Tip>