Haven

Haven

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

748stars
40forks
Last commit: 3mo ago
Repo age: 5y old
Haven screenshot

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

(havenweb.org)

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

(havenweb.org)

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

(havenweb.org)

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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