What is Ghost?
Blogging became widely popular last decade, and as a result, there are many blogging platforms on the market. Ghost is one of them. It’s a free and open source blogging platform based on the server-side JavaScript Node.js execution engine.
Ghost is developed and tailored for blogging, without all the features and options of a full-blown CMS needed to create complex websites.
The Ghost Kickstarter Campaign
The Ghost blogging platform was initially released on October 14, 2013, by the UK-based nonprofit Ghost Foundation.
Actually, Ghost project founder John O’Nolan (former deputy lead of the WordPress UI team) started a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise funding for the project because he found using WordPress as a blogging platform was becoming too complex.
Quick Overview of Ghost
Being a very young platform, Ghost benefits from the modern Node.js execution engine which makes it a very fast blogging solution.
Ghost is currently available for download in version 0.7.5.
You can download the Ghost platform, install it on your hosting server, and use it for free.
The Ghost Foundation also offers its own paid hosting service called Ghost(Pro) as an alternative for users who don’t want to install and configure Ghost manually on their servers. All profits generated from paid Ghost hosting are used to fund further development and infrastructure related to the Ghost project.
Why Choose Ghost(Pro) Hosting?
Ghost(Pro) hosting is a turnkey blogging solution for users who don’t want to mess around with their servers and install or configure Ghost on their own. Four hosting plans are available.
All four hosting plans offer:
- Unlimited transfers and storage
- Automatic updates and backup
- SSL support
- Global CDN and security protection
- Support for all themes and apps
Ghost Plan Basics
- The Starter hosting plan offers 25,000 views per month
- The top Business hosting plan offers 1 million views per month
- Ghost(Pro) hosting plans also include 24/7 customer support
- Ghost(Pro) hosting offers a 14-day free trial option, so you can try it before you make a purchase
How to Install Ghost
Ghost requires the Node.js execution engine to run, so install the latest version of Node.js first.
Ghost is available as a zip download, so the user needs to extract the downloaded files, go to the Node command prompt, and start Ghost from there.
Installation on Windows, Mac, Linux Platforms
Detailed installation instructions are available online for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Installation and launching require npm (Node Package Manager).
Using Ghost as a public web server isn’t advised, so you’ll need to use server software such as Apache, Nginx, or IIS to deliver its content.