WriteFreely

WriteFreely is an open-source, self-hosted publishing platform designed specifically for writers. It provides a minimalist environment for starting a personal blog, sharing internal knowledge within an organization, or building a community centered around the act of writing. The software focuses on a distraction-free experience where the text remains the primary focus of the layout, removing unnecessary visual clutter to prioritize the reading and writing process.

The application deploys as a static binary on any platform or architecture supported by the Go programming language. It can be run using the built-in SQLite support for simple, low-overhead setups or connected to external MySQL and MariaDB databases for more complex installations. Users interact with the platform via a web browser, and the system is designed to be lightweight and easy to maintain on a private server.

Key features

• Plain text editor with automatic saving
• ActivityPub support for federation with other communities
• OAuth 2.0 support for member onboarding
• Article categorization using hashtags
• Ability to pin posts to create static pages
• Support for draft posts and multi-blog management per account
• Localization in over 20 languages with RTL script support
• Minimal data collection and private account associations

Written in Go, the platform is built for interoperability within the fediverse. It allows users to connect with other ActivityPub-powered software, such as Plume, enabling a decentralized network of writers who can interact across different server instances. The architecture supports the creation of multiple blogs under a single account, allowing authors to maintain different pen names or separate topics for different purposes without publicly revealing the association between those identities.

Because it is licensed under the AGPL, the software remains open for community contributions, including code updates, translations, and documentation improvements. It is intended for those who require a publishing tool that respects user privacy and avoids the data collection typical of centralized social media platforms.

WriteFreely serves as a lightweight tool for individuals and organizations seeking a decentralized, Markdown-based publishing system.