Tutorials/Shelter defense

Non- explosive resistant houses
If your house isn't made of one, you should always have a Moat, Man Made Lake, or something of that sort around your shelter to protect from creepers.

To make a Moat you can dig a 2 wide and 3 deep row that stretches along the perimeter of your house.

Alternatively, make a fence with iron bars; it defends the house and catches the explosion.

Other houses
You should have many windows, so as to be aware of any Mobs around. Light your houses and surrounding area well! It is suggested to have a Automatic Door or Minefield surrounding your house.

Security
It can come in handy if you have some security systems up. Here are some ideas:

•	Alarm, to make a alarm you will need: at least 1 pressure plate, a lot of redstone dust, and at least 1 note block. First put pressure plate(s) around the location you manly go, try to keep them separated as much as possible (optional). Then put the note block(s) inside your location and attach the note block(s) to the pressure plate(s) with redstone wire and you are done so whenever a mob or a player walks on a pressure plate then the note block(s) will make you aware of it.

•	A self destruct system might be useful, to prevent others in SMP from stealing things. For this to work, the TNT has to be concealed in a wall, and there should be redstone (that is concealed) attached to a button to activate the TNT. It is also recommended that you have a blast-proof room where you store/hide in before you activate the self destruct. The button should also be in this room.

Snow golem towers
To prevent any mobs getting near you, you can put some towers with snow golems behind a hole with lava, the snow golems will throw snow balls to the mobs and they will fall into the lava. this will NOT work with skeletons because they don't need to be near in order to fight