I use cockpit as a 'read only' interface as everything else is defined in code to configure my homelab but it but it's great to have easy access to a terminal via web browser and also access to kvm machines console just via web interface.

this is awesome.. thanks for the link

There is an ace ted talk about a guy making a toaster from scratch...

only ~11 mins.. recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ODzO7Lz_pw

I have always heard this when talking about approach to solving problems...

Once to understand the problem, once to understand the solution, once to do it properly.