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Blog Builder

Welcome to the official documentation for Blog Builder. Blog Builder is a self-hosted CMS platform designed for running blogs.

FAQ​

  • What kind of server do I need?

    • Blog Builder requires a VPS or dedicated server running Ubuntu 22.04+ LTS. Shared hosting will not work. Node.js 20+ and MongoDB 6.0+ are required.
    • Our friends over at Nexus Hosting have wonderful hosting options.

  • Is a license required?

    • Yes. A valid license key from shadowdevs.com is required. The application verifies the license on startup.

  • What happens if the license server is unreachable?

    • Blog Builder includes a 72-hour grace period. If the license server cannot be contacted at startup, the application continues running for up to 72 hours before it stops accepting requests.

  • How do users log in?

    • Blog Builder uses passwordless email authentication. Users enter their email address and receive a 6-digit code by email. The code expires after 10 minutes.

  • How do I create the first admin account?

    • Set the OWNERS environment variable to a comma-separated list of email addresses before starting the application. When those addresses first log in, they automatically receive the owner permission which grants full admin access.

  • Is email required?

    • Yes. Email is required for the login system, without a working email provider configured, login codes cannot be sent and no one can sign in.

  • Where are uploaded files stored?

    • All uploaded images and files are stored in the uploads/ directory on the server and served via the /cdn/ path. This directory is created automatically on first run and must be backed up separately.

  • Can I run multiple blogs?

    • Yes. In addition to the main blog at /blog, any custom page with the "Has Blog" option enabled gets its own blog category at /[page-slug]/blog. Posts can be scoped to these categories independently.

  • Where do I get support?