Why do I need a personal blog?#
August 2024 happens to be the three-year mark since I started working. Over the past three years, I have encountered many people and things, gained some social experience, and increasingly felt a sense of emptiness inside. Therefore, I feel that I need to learn more things, and after learning, I hope to be able to share them. Sharing can stimulate multidimensional collisions of thoughts, which may generate new sparks in these collisions. I hope to have a personal blog where I can share my thoughts.
Two sentences I really like:
There will always be people who need a quiet, introverted, and creative internet.
Writing is for better thinking!
I want to treat my personal blog as a paradise, where I can calm down and cultivate slowly.
What is xlog?#
xLog is a modern open-source blog system that uses blockchain technology to store blog data, including configurations, articles, comments, etc. It has rich interactive features, allowing users to follow blogs, comment on articles, like articles, and even mint articles as NFTs. xLog is built on the proselog project, using Next.js + Tailwind CSS + TypeScript + TanStack Query, providing a complete development experience. It uses the Crossbell blockchain for social activities, eliminating the need to purchase gas fees. Each blog is an NFT owned by the user, and configurations and articles are stored within the NFT. - From the xLog founder's blog.
To learn more about xLog, please visit the following links:
- xLog Official Website
- The First Open Source On-Chain Blog System xLog
- Introduction to the Open Source Project xLog - A Blog System on the Blockchain
- My Understanding of xLog (A Blog Platform Based on Web3 and Cryptocurrency Wallet)
Why I use xlog#
Since graduation, I have had a habit of writing blogs, mostly about Unity technology, and published them on a certain SDN platform. Recently, I felt that the platform I used from top to bottom was really terrible (I won't go into details, those who understand will understand). Coupled with the urgent desire to build my own personal knowledge base, I started looking for an open-source blog system that allows me to share my personal knowledge.
I searched online for a bunch of popular personal blog frameworks: hexo (I have used it before, but didn't stick to writing), Hugo, Halo, VuePress, MkDocs, WordPress. I also listed some basic requirements I have for a personal blog:
- Must support Markdown files
- Basic blog functions (subscription, likes, comments, custom domain, navigation bar, etc.)
- Decent themes (simple, cool, customizable)
- Low setup cost, no complicated configuration or installation of various environments
- Language switching
- Friendly for both PC and mobile devices
- Data security and performance requirements
After researching, I found that most mainstream frameworks did not meet my requirements, but xlog, which is relatively niche at the moment, caught my attention. Now I'm just using xlog with a mindset of trying it out. I hope that the xlog ecosystem will continue to improve in the future, and I can keep writing and sharing.
Ready to get started? No#
I refuse to go through complicated setups. As xlog's official website claims, you can have your own personal blog in just 5 minutes!
The following setup process is based on the Google Chrome browser, and I also recommend using Google Chrome.
Install a cryptocurrency wallet#
- Go to the xlog official website, click on "Connect" in the upper right corner, and choose the first wallet, MethMask.
- Click on "Download here" to install the browser extension for the wallet.
- Click on "Download for Chrome" (I recommend using a method to bypass internet restrictions, but if you don't have one, this extension also works for Firefox, Edge, etc.)
- Click on "Add to Chrome" and in the pop-up window, select "Add extension".
- Agree to the terms and conditions, click on "Create a new wallet", and follow the prompts to select some settings (remember to keep your private key mnemonic safe). Finally, pin the wallet to your browser.
Congratulations, you now have your own Ethereum wallet.
Log in to xlog using the wallet#
- Go back to the xlog official website, refresh the page, click on "Connect" again, and choose MetaMask. A wallet window will pop up asking for your authorization to log in to xlog. Follow the prompts to allow access.
- After successful login, you will see your account information displayed here. Next, you can click on "My xLog". Before entering, a window will pop up asking you to create an xlog role. Fill in your name and other information. As a new user, you will receive 0.02 $CSB (just follow the instructions on the page to click on "Verify" and "Claim", no need to send a tweet).
Go to your personal homepage#
Great, the unique blockchain identifier is also displayed below.
Go to the dashboard (blog backend)#
You can write articles online (supports real-time rendering of Markdown) and import Markdown files. With this, you have completed the setup of your xlog personal blog. Now you can start creating articles. (If you only publish articles, 0.02 $CSB will last for a long time. If it's not enough, you can also claim for free. Claiming address: Faucet)
Publish your first xlog blog post#
Click on Dashboard - Articles - New Article, and use Markdown syntax to create your first xlog blog post.
Click on "Publish" and confirm the virtual currency consumption.
Alright, now you can go to your homepage and refresh to see the article you just published.
Summary#
The initial experience with xlog is quite good. From the setup process, it is indeed quick. Although I haven't used it extensively, xlog's features basically meet my requirements for a personal blog. Once it stabilizes, I plan to buy a domain name. I also plan to host the articles from my personal knowledge base, which I organize using the note-taking software Obsidian, on GitHub and automatically sync them to xlog using other tools.
I hope to use my personal blog to record and share, to connect with humanity, to find like-minded people, and to explore the realm of poetry and distant places.