Ghost: Open-Source Blogging and Publishing Platform for Content Creators

What is Ghost?

Ghost is a modern open-source blogging and publishing platform designed for content creators and journalists who want a simple, focused writing experience. Built with Node.js and a focus on performance and distraction-free writing, Ghost enables writers to publish content, build audiences, and monetize through memberships without complex systems. Over 2 million websites use Ghost for blogging, newsletters, and audience monetization.

Unlike WordPress ($0-300+/month) with blogging-specific focus issues, or Medium ($5-12/month) where content is hosted on third-party platform, Ghost provides a purpose-built publishing platform. Creators deploy Ghost self-hosted or managed, maintaining complete ownership of content and audience data.

Ghost serves as the publishing platform for creators. Bloggers publish articles and build audiences. Journalists maintain editorial calendars. Newsletter authors reach subscribers. Creators monetize through memberships and sponsorships.

Key Features and Capabilities

Content Creation

Beautiful Editor: Distraction-free writing environment optimized for focus
Markdown Support: Full markdown support for structured content
Rich Media: Embed images, videos, and multimedia content
Draft Management: Save drafts and organize content workflow
Scheduling: Schedule posts for automatic publication
SEO Optimization: Built-in SEO features for search visibility

Audience Management

Membership: Paywall content for paying members only
Subscriptions: Email newsletter subscriptions and distribution
Email Campaigns: Send newsletter emails to subscribers
Analytics: Track audience engagement and newsletter performance
Comments: Reader comments and engagement
Social Sharing: Built-in social media sharing

Monetization

Paid Memberships: Offer paid access to exclusive content
Stripe Integration: Accept payments through Stripe
Member Portal: Members manage accounts and subscriptions
Donation Links: Accept donations from readers
Sponsorship Management: Track and manage sponsor content

Developer Features

API: Full REST API for custom integrations
Webhooks: Real-time webhooks for event notification
Theme System: Customizable themes with Handlebars templating
Admin Panel: Powerful administration interface
Import/Export: Import content from other platforms or export

System Requirements and Technical Specifications

Server Requirements

Operating System: Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, CentOS 7+) or Docker
Node.js: 12+ for application runtime
MySQL: 5.7+ for database storage
RAM: 512MB minimum for testing, 2GB+ recommended for production
Storage: 10GB+ for application and media files
CPU: Single-core minimum, dual-core recommended

Client Requirements

Modern web browser: Chrome 70+, Firefox 65+, Safari 12+, Edge 79+
JavaScript enabled for editor and admin interface
Minimum 1024×768 resolution

Installation and Deployment

Docker Installation

# Run Ghost with Docker
docker run -d 
  --name ghost 
  -p 3001:2368 
  -e url=https://blog.example.com 
  -v ghost_data:/var/lib/ghost/content 
  ghost

# Access at http://localhost:3001

Linux Installation

# Install Node.js and MySQL
sudo apt-get install nodejs npm mysql-server

# Download Ghost
wget https://github.com/TryGhost/Ghost/releases/download/latest/Ghost-latest.zip
unzip Ghost-latest.zip

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Create configuration
cp config.example.json config.production.json

# Run Ghost
NODE_ENV=production npm start

# Access at http://localhost:2368

Production Configuration

# Configure Nginx as reverse proxy with SSL
# Set up MySQL for production reliability

# Enable automated backups of database and content
# Configure email delivery for newsletters

# Monitor performance metrics

Use Cases and Real-World Applications

Individual Bloggers and Journalists

Writers use Ghost to publish content and build audiences. Distraction-free editor enables focused writing. Beautiful default theme makes content look professional without design work.

Newsletter Publishers

Newsletter creators use Ghost for audience building and subscriber management. Email newsletters reach engaged subscribers. Analytics show performance and reader behavior.

Publication and Magazine Sites

Publications use Ghost for editorial workflow and content management. Multiple editors coordinate content. Scheduling ensures consistent publication schedule.

Membership and Paywall Sites

Publishers monetize content through memberships and paywalls. Stripe integration handles payments. Member-only content drives subscription revenue.

Advantages of Ghost

Focused Experience: Purpose-built for blogging, not over-featured like WordPress
Performance Optimized: Fast page loads and responsive interface
Beautiful Default Design: Professional appearance without design work
Membership Integration: Built-in membership and paywall features
Newsletter Features: Email newsletter delivery included
SEO Optimized: Built-in SEO features improve search visibility
Customizable: Full source code allows unlimited customization
Cost Effective: Self-hosted costs only infrastructure, no licensing
Content Ownership: All content remains under your control