I recently set up my self-hosted system and went down this path:
Ubuntu Server - decided against it because terminal only is tedious sometimes
Ubuntu Desktop - easy, popular (so more documentation), comes ready with Docker
Decided to use Yacht for my container manager and have been happy with it so far, super simple compared to other options out there but you still have the control you need
I definitely want to add to this list. I want to get some stuff behind a VPN and sail the open seas to fill out my plex server, I just want to make sure I am being as safe as possible.