TinaCMS: My new discovery

[SirLouen]

Recently I have discovered something that I need to share with you, because it has blown my mind

Bring back this thread I cannot find any more where we were discussing cheap CMS options to WordPress with @tazarbm, I found this CMS that is kind of amazing: TinaCMS

There are a million CMS, what is the catch with this one?
Basically is a free, self-hosted CMS, that you can actually host for free in Github pages (or pretty much any other static free hosting, like Cloudflare also)

But it is a CMS, how are you going to deal with pages and content in general?

The fascinating thing here is, that all the content is stored in files, and saved in a Github repository. And you don't even need to deal with git. The CMS itself brings an editor like any other CMS, where you can edit your pages, and when you are finished, you can send them back to Github updated

You could also perfectly be using any free tier from most of the providers, like Vercel.

An example on how to self host it: https://github.com/tinacms/tina-self-hosted-demo

Plus, it's open source, Apache 2.0 licence and on their page, they even provide a free tier for 2 users.
The only weak side is that it's relatively new, and there are still not much content like themes and all that

Here there are some starter themes
https://github.com/tinacms/awesome-tinacms

Also I've found it's ultra simple, no botched UI, just straight to the point: posts and design.

I found this very minimalist and promising, a very nice alternative to WP for those willing to try out new CMS experiences. I know there are zillions of CMS out there, but I've tested almost them all, and I'm liking almost none. And the fact that some of them are not even open source, makes for me the thing even worse.

Feel free to comment if you have found any other interesting CMS worth a look.

 

[tazarbm]

Bring back this thread I cannot find any more where we were discussing cheap CMS options to WordPress with @tazarbm,

I think you mean this:
https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/what-alternatives-to-wordpress-do-i-have.1753081/

I found this CMS that is kind of amazing: TinaCMS

I might have found it but it has 3 things I hate nowadays:

- it costs money
- it uses cloud (I never understood, nor liked this bogus term)
- it uses AI

probably that's why I didn't care about it, and which is why I'll never touch it

Basically is a free, self-hosted CMS, that you can actually host for free in Github pages (or pretty much any other static free hosting, like Cloudflare also)

if I host it on Github / cloud it's not mine

Plus, it's open source, Apache 2.0 licence and on their page, they even provide a free tier for 2 users.
The only weak side is that it's relatively new, and there are still not much content like themes and all that

I see more weak sides to it than you do, not only these

Also I've found it's ultra simple, no botched UI, just straight to the point: posts and design.

true, this is the only strong selling point

I found this very minimalist and promising, a very nice alternative to WP for those willing to try out new CMS experiences. I know there are zillions of CMS out there, but I've tested almost them all, and I'm liking almost none. And the fact that some of them are not even open source, makes for me the thing even worse.

yeah, the vast majority of them are bad... or rather, not to my liking I should say.

But I will stick to Bludit for now, and if that doesn't work I intend to try Publii as that one also looked great. But I'm definitely not touching TinaCMS

But feel free to mention it that thread if you want, more options is good

 

[SirLouen]

If you already found this CMS and you discarded it because of the cloud thing, I think these guys from TinaCMS are doing a really poor Marketing job with their copy. Maybe you found that they only offer a Cloud service. But they also offer a self-hosted option where you own everything.

if I host it on Github / cloud it's not mine

When you say that "if you host it in Github is not mine", it suggests me that you don't have the "property" thing clear neither the "Cloud" thing. Github is not cloud, not any close.
Github is just a remote repository, which means, that you should also have your own repository locally in your computer, hence you 100% own the content. You push or pull changes from Github to your convenience. The fun thing of TinaCMS is that they manage the push and pulls for you.
Github just acts as free hosting for you with their Github pages feature. So basically this is one of the few ways to have a real quality free hosting that you own 100%.

Still, if you don't like Github for whatever other reason, what I don't have clear with your demand is: where are you planning to host your site? Do you have a local server in your home or something?

I've been checking Publii, and TinaCMS is literally identical with one advantage (to me): you don't really need to download a specific software to manage everything: Tina is managed through NPM and basically creates your file structure locally and you can access it via browser. I believe that Publii opted for the software alternative, to facilitate non-tech savvy users to avoid running NPM which can be a little cumbersome if you have never dealt with it. But I still believe that mostly all these static CMSes require some little degree of tech knowledge to bare with them, they are not one-click solutions regardless of how hard they try it. Personally I prefer not to install another software just for the thing, but I've been checking Publii ecosystem and I can see that the amount of themes they provide by default is pretty amazing. On the other side, TinaCMS is compatible with most of the frontend frameworks (Astro, NextJS), so basically accessing any of the already-made templates with any of these frameworks makes adding a theme to TinaCMS pretty straightforward.

 

[tazarbm]

When you say that "if you host it in Github is not mine", it suggests me that you don't have the "property" thing clear neither the "Cloud" thing.

very possible

Github is just a remote repository, which means, that you should also have your own repository locally in your computer, hence you 100% own the content. You push or pull changes from Github to your convenience. The fun thing of TinaCMS is that they manage the push and pulls for you.
Github just acts as free hosting for you with their Github pages feature. So basically this is one of the few ways to have a real quality free hosting that you own 100%.

even so, I don't like that it accesses 3rd party websites in order to update. With Bludit the changes that I make are done right there on my server and this makes me feel a bit safer

Still, if you don't like Github for whatever other reason, what I don't have clear with your demand is: where are you planning to host your site? Do you have a local server in your home or something?

um, with hosting company? I use Limtlesshost.com to host my future sites, I wished I had a home server, but I'm not good enough at setting it up. Plus that I don't have time for that thing at the moment, but it's on my to-do list

I've been checking Publii, and TinaCMS is literally identical with one advantage (to me): you don't really need to download a specific software to manage everything: Tina is managed through NPM and basically creates your file structure locally and you can access it via browser.

no idea what NPM is. And yeah, the software manager that I have to download to manage Publii is a bit of a problem, I initially went with Publii but after I discovered Bludit later on I decided to stick to that one instead because it doesn't use remote software...

But I'm open to trying new things out, so I might give Tina a try in the near future, just for the fun of it. But the Wordpress alternative that I went with for my first few sites will be Bludit for sure...

I believe that Publii opted for the software alternative, to facilitate non-tech savvy users to avoid running NPM which can be a little cumbersome if you have never dealt with it.

ah-ha, there you go! That's why I (probably instinctively) went with Publii over other builders

But I still believe that mostly all these static CMSes require some little degree of tech knowledge to bare with them, they are not one-click solutions regardless of how hard they try it.

it feels that way, yes. But I have to make a compromise somewhere, otherwise I'll go back to WP for the convenience

Personally I prefer not to install another software just for the thing, but I've been checking Publii ecosystem and I can see that the amount of themes they provide by default is pretty amazing.

yep, I saw that too. And to be fully honest, had I not found several interesting themes on Bludit too I would have probably decided in favor of Publii, but the fact that Bludit also have a decent (albeit not-frequently updated apparently) inventory of themes and plugins was a big decision factor in choosing Bludit over the other options

On the other side, TinaCMS is compatible with most of the frontend frameworks (Astro, NextJS), so basically accessing any of the already-made templates with any of these frameworks makes adding a theme to TinaCMS pretty straightforward.

interesting... Ok, I'll keep Tina in mind (at least for testing purposes) for the future. Thanks

 

[SirLouen]

um, with hosting company? I use Limtlesshost.com to host my future sites, I wished I had a home server, but I'm not good enough at setting it up. Plus that I don't have time for that thing at the moment, but it's on my to-do list

Ok, now it makes sense to me.

So you don't have problems paying for your hosting! In this case, pretty much any will do, Tina, Publii, etc...
Bludit looks so 2000s, I can't understand why you like it so much.

I thought you were looking for the ultimate cheap/free solution. With Github, you don't even need the hosting. You only purchase your domain, link it to your github account and you are good to go. Look at this example: https://wpcontrib.org

The code is hosted here: https://github.com/WPContrib/wpcontrib.github.io
And obviously, I have a copy of that code in my computer.
When I want to update, I simply go to my local repository in my computer, change anything, push it to github and changes are inmediately updated.

This page literally costs 0 to me (except for the cost of the domain, obviously)

Maybe I will do a video explaining how to setup a TinaCMS in github 100% for free. It's not a one-click process like WP but once you get the thing and do the first setup, updating is extremely straightforward. No need for databases, hostings or anything like that: you only need your domain and you. I would say it's the ultimate solution to build PBN and scale with thousands of domains without having massive hosting costs behind. And the footprint is minimal, because you cannot only do this with Github, you can also do it with Gitlab, Cloudflare, and a couple other major providers of static free hosting.

I remember back in 2014-2015 when I started playing around with PBN and WP, I started to think on diversifying my CMS-base using Joomla and Drupal, but it was a massive pain in the ass. Things nowadays are so easy, cheap and straightforward, that I'm amazed that people keep sticking to WP for this.

 

[tazarbm]

So you don't have problems paying for your hosting! In this case, pretty much any will do, Tina, Publii, etc...

hosting is one of those things that I consider mandatory billing for online business, I got used to this and now I include it in my plans

Bludit looks so 2000s, I can't understand why you like it so much.

I know, but like I said, we gotta make compromises. Plus, I am tired (like literally mentally exhausted) of keeping up with the abnormal requirements of big tech and ultra rich companies that dictate all the time how my sites should look like, which outfit to wear today, and what I am allowed to think.

I will try to make the best of what I got (Bludit for now), and if it hurts my conversions by 10-50% so be it, I will let it go if it doesn't bother me too much, I am not a chaser of millions of $$$, if I can make a few $1000s to afford food and to pay the bills I am happy to take that burden out of the way so I can keep being active on BHW to - hopefully - manage to convince others to follow my lead.

I thought you were looking for the ultimate cheap/free solution.

I am! But this doesn't mean that I'll be happy with anything, otherwise I wouldn't bother checking out all site builders that I find, but stop at the first cheap / free one that I find. I still want something for my skill level and which I like, and Github doesn't provide either...

With Github, you don't even need the hosting. You only purchase your domain, link it to your github account and you are good to go. Look at this example: https://wpcontrib.org

The code is hosted here: https://github.com/WPContrib/wpcontrib.github.io

more gibberish code for geeks

And obviously, I have a copy of that code in my computer.
When I want to update, I simply go to my local repository in my computer, change anything, push it to github and changes are inmediately updated.

if it works for you...

Personally, I still like the old fashioned way (cause I got used to it), ie. log into my website's admin area and make the changes there.

This page literally costs 0 to me (except for the cost of the domain, obviously)

what if Github gets taken down tomorrow and will never return? What's the cost then?

Maybe I will do a video explaining how to setup a TinaCMS in github 100% for free. It's not a one-click process like WP but once you get the thing and do the first setup, updating is extremely straightforward. No need for databases, hostings or anything like that: you only need your domain and you.

do your thing, man! Even if I'm not interested in it, others will definitely be, so your effort won't go to waste

I would say it's the ultimate solution to build PBN and scale with thousands of domains without having massive hosting costs behind. And the footprint is minimal, because you cannot only do this with Github, you can also do it with Gitlab, Cloudflare, and a couple other major providers of static free hosting.

the arguments are top notch. But I don't own (or intend to own) PBNs, so for me this is overkill.

I remember back in 2014-2015 when I started playing around with PBN and WP, I started to think on diversifying my CMS-base using Joomla and Drupal, but it was a massive pain in the ass.

I think Drupal still is, I keep hearing bad things about them with version 13 or something, I don't remember the details... I considered Drupal and Joomla too last month when I researched WP alternatives, but they both looked... well... Wordpress-like, so I thought "nah, man, if I want to get away from WP I will get away from its clones too!"

Things nowadays are so easy, cheap and straightforward, that I'm amazed that people keep sticking to WP for this.

yep! I'm one of those who tries hard to de-google their life and to de-Wordpress their online business

 

[SirLouen]

what if Github gets taken down tomorrow and will never return? What's the cost then?

These are the questions that have me a little confused about your perspective on this.

What if your hosting gets taken down tomorrow? Your answer to this is the same answer to your question.

 

[tazarbm]

What if your hosting gets taken down tomorrow? Your answer to this is the same answer to your question.

there are 1000s of other hosting providers that I can switch to, but there is only 1 Github. And the short "accident" that happened a few weeks ago when 1000s of sites and apps went down for hours can be a sign of something bigger coming down the pipe.

So it's not the same

 

[SirLouen]

there are 1000s of other hosting providers that I can switch to, but there is only 1 Github. And the short "accident" that happened a few weeks ago when 1000s of sites and apps went down for hours can be a sign of something bigger coming down the pipe.

So it's not the same

That is why there are multiple providers available. And why many other providers will take their place if Github happens (unlikely) to fall. Git is not Github. Github only happens to be the biggest hub for git. So think in Github as hosting in your current hosting, you are 0% attached to it. The only real problem, is that its not super-easy to setup. You might need some tooling.

Anyway, for all that you have commented, I believe that Tina is not going to fit you, the setup is not super straight forward, and I think that as-is right now, is not "user friendly" for anyone not very tech-savvy. They believe that "Tina Cloud" is user friendly and still I don't think its totally true. On the other side, I believe that the idea of having a software locally like Publii does, it's 10x better for any regular user. Specially if you use Windows.

Today I had some time to better play around with multiple setups in Tina and it's way less friendly than I expected. Once you have everything perfectly setup, it's nice, but setting up is not the best thing right now.

 

[tazarbm]

Once you have everything perfectly setup, it's nice, but setting up is not the best thing right now.

I could tell by the stuff you've said earlier

On the other side, I believe that the idea of having a software locally like Publii does, it's 10x better for any regular user. Specially if you use Windows.

Windows doesn't exist for me anymore. I only have it in a VM so I can run Scrapebox and other Windows software, but otherwise I've replaced it with Linux 3 years ago.

And the software run locally is not my thing either, and I also don't see how it can possibly be better (10x even) than doing changes in real-time and clicking on "save" button to have them implemented right away instead of uploading edited files via FTP each time you make an edit. This is so inconvenient...

Anyway, if you have time to learn unnecessary stuff don't let me stop you from enriching your life. I don't have this luxury anymore, so for me simple and effective stuff (even if it's not free like I would ideally want) is to be preferred than using non-familiar stuff. And that's fine, to each their own they say

 

[Deleted member 752298]

because it has blown my mind

+1 what a gem and nice code base. Thx for sharing man.