Best free blogging platform?

[Findecanor]

After many years, I have started to consider starting a blog. There have been many things throughout the years that I have thought about writing about, just to get it out there... but never got around to. But where to start?

I know a few people who have long-standing blogs on Blogspot and Livejournal .. and even Wordpress (...)
But there is a large number of blogging platforms out there.

I don't have a long list of requirements:
* A standard markup-format (like Markdown, MediaWiki or BBCode), so that 1) I don't have to use an atrocious Rich Text-editor, 2) to ease migration to another platform.
* Simple publishing of images: preferably on the site itself.
* Keyword-tagging by topic
* People could find my blog by googling keywords
...but most of all:
* A well designed user interface/theme that isn't annoying. Not "Web 2.0" or some kind of supposed-responsive-design-but-actually-mobile-only crap. No popups or GDPR messages whatsoever. No ads that are in your face.

If you have a blog, what do you use?

[fohat.digs]

I am following this, too, I have just about reached the same place at this point in time.

62 views but no suggestions. Maybe there just isn't a good option?

[SpAmRaY]

To do it right you want your own domain what you name it depends on your target audience or like many people who intend on eventually having name recognition just use some part or all of your actual name.

Also some thoughts from a few years ago

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=51482.msg1133373.0

And I get the thread title says free but if you're going to be serious about it maybe having a small investment will be motivation to keep going.


Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

[Sintpinty]

After many years, I have started to consider starting a blog. There have been many things throughout the years that I have thought about writing about, just to get it out there... but never got around to. But where to start?

I know a few people who have long-standing blogs on Blogspot and Livejournal .. and even Wordpress (...)
But there is a large number of blogging platforms out there.

I don't have a long list of requirements:
* A standard markup-format (like Markdown, MediaWiki or BBCode), so that 1) I don't have to use an atrocious Rich Text-editor, 2) to ease migration to another platform.
* Simple publishing of images: preferably on the site itself.
* Keyword-tagging by topic
* People could find my blog by googling keywords
...but most of all:
* A well designed user interface/theme that isn't annoying. Not "Web 2.0" or some kind of supposed-responsive-design-but-actually-mobile-only crap. No popups or GDPR messages whatsoever. No ads that are in your face.

If you have a blog, what do you use?

Wordpress… Quora. Those things.

If you are a famous or trusted Quoran in the community you can apply for something called a "Space".

[rowdy]

Not used it, but I've heard good things about Ghost.

Not free, if you want them to host it, but you can download and run it for free if you have your own infrastructure.

As a radical alternative, what about gists on GitHub?

[_rubik]

Not used it, but I've heard good things about Ghost.

Not free, if you want them to host it, but you can download and run it for free if you have your own infrastructure.

As a radical alternative, what about gists on GitHub?

I've used Ghost enough to speak for it. Wonderful platform and easy enough to deploy on your own. A few free themes, but most of the best are a $15-50 one time payment. Clearly geared for multiple authors, but that also means it has lots of enterprise features -- in browser markdown editor comes to mind.

If you're looking for something a bit more technical or involved, Gatsby has impressed me as well.

[xtrafrood]

I've read that some use Hugo or Jekyll to generate a static site (including blog) to use with github or gitlab pages.  Hugo themes with easy Disqus integration are pretty popular if such feature is needed I guess.  The themes vary between Web 2.0ish and Web 1.0ish--easy to modify either way.  AFAIK cookie notifications, ads, and tracking analytics need to be integrated manually (ie Disqus).  Finding a Hugo theme and mostly blogging in general are the two things holding me back from replacing my current github page.  Although not exactly a blogging platform, generating a blog using markdown documents via open source projects like Hugo or Jekyll is an option for some.

[no, the other guy]

I actually like both Grav and Pelican a lot. Ghost is too resource-hungry.
Markdown would be a lovely feature for Wordpress as well, but it still needs a plug-in for that.

[gingerjack]

I've read that some use Hugo or Jekyll to generate a static site (including blog) to use with github or gitlab pages.  Hugo themes with easy Disqus integration are pretty popular if such feature is needed I guess.  The themes vary between Web 2.0ish and Web 1.0ish--easy to modify either way.  AFAIK cookie notifications, ads, and tracking analytics need to be integrated manually (ie Disqus).  Finding a Hugo theme and mostly blogging in general are the two things holding me back from replacing my current github page.  Although not exactly a blogging platform, generating a blog using markdown documents via open source projects like Hugo or Jekyll is an option for some.

Ghost is my favorite, it was created with bloggers in mind. It also comes with an Admin UI built in. It resemble the medium interface and is the easiest to use of the two.
But yes, it's needy.

Jekyll is a static page generator that doesn’t come with a admin UI. You basically have to run a little bit of code each time you create a new entry.

But you should check them both out.

[xtrafrood]

I've read that some use Hugo or Jekyll to generate a static site (including blog) to use with github or gitlab pages.  Hugo themes with easy Disqus integration are pretty popular if such feature is needed I guess.  The themes vary between Web 2.0ish and Web 1.0ish--easy to modify either way.  AFAIK cookie notifications, ads, and tracking analytics need to be integrated manually (ie Disqus).  Finding a Hugo theme and mostly blogging in general are the two things holding me back from replacing my current github page.  Although not exactly a blogging platform, generating a blog using markdown documents via open source projects like Hugo or Jekyll is an option for some.

Ghost is my favorite, it was created with bloggers in mind. It also comes with an Admin UI built in. It resemble the medium interface and is the easiest to use of the two.
But yes, it's needy.

Jekyll is a static page generator that doesn’t come with a admin UI. You basically have to run a little bit of code each time you create a new entry.

But you should check them both out.

IIRC (2018) both Hugo and Jekyll come with built in mini local servers that reflect changes immediately in whatever markdown document you're working with, etc.--definitely for the DIY or developer mindset.

Quick glance: Hugo is written in Go, Jekyll in Ruby, and Ghost in Node.js.  I'm still not sure how I feel about Node.js.

[no, the other guy]

Node.js is insane.

[Stupidface]

After many years, I have started to consider starting a blog. There have been many things throughout the years that I have thought about writing about, just to get it out there... but never got around to. But where to start?

If you go through with this, can you please let us know what kind of luck you have?