Getting started with GoBlogger

GoBlogger aims to get you blogging quickly without fiddly setup. On first run it creates the baseline files you need (a .env file and admin credentials), so you can serve content immediately. This post walks a novice-to-hobbyist user through a minimal start, basic checks, and a recommended onboarding flow. Add your screenshots where noted.

Minimal start — Linux and macOS

1. Download the latest release for your system from https://codeberg.org/cblte/goblogger/releases.

2. Open a terminal, go to your download folder and extract the tarball:

   cd ~/Downloads
   tar -xzf goblogger_*.tar.gz
   cd goblogger-*/
   

3. Start the app (choose one):

• Run with Go (if you have Go installed):

  go run ./cmd/blog
  

• Or run the compiled binary:

  chmod +x ./goblogger   # adjust binary name if needed
  ./blog
  

1. Open your browser at the address printed by the server (usually http://localhost:8080).

# Minimal start — Windo

Minimal start — Windows

1. Download the Windows release (.tar.gz) from the releases page.

2. Extract the ZIP (right-click → Extract All).

3. Open PowerShell in the folder with the binary and run:

   .\goblogger.exe   # adjust filename
   

   Or run with Go:

   go run .\cmd\blog
   

4. Open the local address shown by the server in your browser.

# Quick checks after first sta

Quick checks after first start

Confirm these items before you start writing posts:

• BLOG_CONTENT_DIR is set and points to your content directory (default content is bundled on first run).
• Change the admin password from the autogenerated credentials.
• Ensure these endpoints are reachable in your browser:
  • /search-index.json
  • /tag-index.json
  • /feed.xml
• BLOG_FEED_ITEMS — set to 0 to include all visible posts in the RSS feed or a positive integer to limit items.
• Check the server logs for errors during startup.

Tips & tricks

• Example site content: view the bundled example content in the repository to learn structure and frontmatter.
• Change settings either by editing .env or through the admin UI at /admin.
• Admin credentials: the admin username and password are displayed on first run. To reset them, delete the .admin-credentials file — the credentials will be recreated on next start.
• Small theme edits first: make incremental changes to theme/ and test after each change so you can revert easily.
• Production checklist: use a reverse proxy with TLS, run as a system service, and back up your content directory regularly.

Troubleshooting quick hits

• Can’t find content? Verify BLOG_CONTENT_DIR path and file permissions.
• Admin login not working? Check the generated .env for credentials or restart to regenerate baseline files (note: regenerating can overwrite defaults—back up .env first).
• Missing feed or indexes? Ensure the server had write permission to the dist/public directory and that the build step completed.
• Port conflicts? Use PORT in .env or set your reverse proxy to route to the configured port.