
Haven
Privacy-first, self-hosted private blogging platform (Ruby on Rails)

Haven is a privacy-first, self-hosted private blog application designed for sharing with a limited audience. It is implemented as a Ruby on Rails web application and provides a web interface for writing, user management, and reading feeds. (github.com)
Key Features
- Markdown editor with live preview and built-in image upload handling
- Private RSS feeds with unique secure links per user
- Built-in RSS reader (personal feed) to follow other Havens without ads or algorithms
- Multi-user roles (subscribers and publishers) so multiple people can publish without sharing credentials
- Low-bandwidth optimizations: image downscaling and compact page output; minimal client-side JavaScript
Use Cases
- Private family or friends blog where the owner controls accounts and access
- Small community or group site with multiple authorized publishers (e.g., clubs, classrooms)
- Personal micro-journal with private RSS access and an aggregated personal feed
Limitations and Considerations
- Not designed for public, SEO-driven blogs or large public audiences (no public signup option by design)
- Demo environment is limited: demo accounts and some administrative/customization features are restricted and demo accounts may be purged periodically
Haven can be deployed via Docker and Docker Compose and commonly uses a PostgreSQL database in production; the project provides a Dockerfile and a docker-compose setup demonstrating a Rails service plus Postgres. Managed hosting and deployment scripts (AWS/Heroku notes) are also mentioned in the project resources. (git.siteop.biz)
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Ruby on Rails
Docker
SCSS
CSS
Ruby runtime
Node.js