explaingit

bloom42/markdown-ninja

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

★ 401GoAudience · writerComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

An open-source Markdown-based CMS for publishing blogs and newsletters, positioned as an alternative to Medium, Mailchimp, and Substack.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Markdown Ninja))
    What it does
      Blog publishing
      Newsletters
      Markdown content
    Tech stack
      Go
      Docker
    Use cases
      Self-hosted blog
      Newsletter migration
      Hosted trial
    Audience
      Bloggers
      Small businesses

Code map

Detail Auto

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Publish a blog and email newsletter from the same Markdown-based platform.

USE CASE 2

Self-host a Substack-style newsletter with one Docker command.

USE CASE 3

Try the hosted version at markdown.ninja before committing to self-hosting.

What is it built with?

GoDockerMarkdown

How does it compare?

bloom42/markdown-ninjatj/triageantflydb/antfly
Stars401409360
LanguageGoGoGo
Last pushed—2020-05-29—
Maintenance—Dormant—
Setup difficultyeasymoderatehard
Complexity2/52/54/5
Audiencewriterdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min

Single Docker command deployment, no extra build pipeline needed.

You can use and modify it freely, but if you run a modified version as a public service, you must also share your changes as open source.

In plain English

Markdown Ninja is an open-source content management system (CMS) built in Go, designed for bloggers and small businesses who want to publish websites and newsletters without a complex technical setup. It positions itself as a simpler alternative to platforms like Medium, Mailchimp, and Substack. The core idea is that you write content in Markdown, a simple text format where you use symbols like asterisks for bold and hashes for headings, and the platform handles publishing it as a website, blog, or email newsletter. According to the readme, deployment is done with a single Docker command, avoiding the usual complexity of combining a static site generator, a custom theme, a build pipeline, and a hosting platform. The service has a hosted version available at markdown.ninja where you can try it for free. The source code is released under the AGPL v3.0 license, which requires that if you run a modified version as a public service, you must also share your changes as open source.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Deploy Markdown Ninja with Docker and set up my first blog post.
Prompt 2
Help me migrate my Substack newsletter content into Markdown Ninja.
Prompt 3
Explain what the AGPL v3.0 license means for a modified version of Markdown Ninja I plan to host publicly.

Frequently asked questions

What is markdown-ninja?

An open-source Markdown-based CMS for publishing blogs and newsletters, positioned as an alternative to Medium, Mailchimp, and Substack.

What language is markdown-ninja written in?

Mainly Go. The stack also includes Go, Docker, Markdown.

What license does markdown-ninja use?

You can use and modify it freely, but if you run a modified version as a public service, you must also share your changes as open source.

How hard is markdown-ninja to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is markdown-ninja for?

Mainly writer.

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