If you go with QNAP be careful with what you provide access to over the internet. QNAP seems to have security vulnerabilities quite often. It would probable best to only use a VPN to access any services/media on it.

I’ve been running TrueNAS core for years. I used to have my applications in Jails on TrueNAS. If you just want to start out learning I think using SCALE and keeping your apps within TrueNAS is a good way to go.

I believe SCALE uses docker for its apps so that should make it easy to migrate your data in the future if you pick another platform.

I think they are using this: https://github.com/microsoft/terminal

It’s what I use on my Windows machines as well. It’s a huge improvement from the old CMD window.