Journal via Astro and markdown Editors

Journal via Astro and markdown Editors

September 13, 2025

Tl;DR

I created a simple NextJS app the visualizes .md files in folders and let you edit them via React md with a UI.

Changes are reflected locally.

Intro

Cant we just have a simple way to add / modify posts from themes other people have created?

Kind of…a one time setup for tinkers.

People who dont mind cloning a hugo or astro theme.

But they just want to write later on via a cool UI.

I have just been trying to do that on the most post with a cool astro theme:

Tech for SSG Editor

I decided to keep scope simpler and start over.

I can vibe code again a NextJS app, that will be in the root of a repo:

Then, as part of the environment variables, we will have the local path to one of our favourite hugo/astro themes.

And what this app will do, is to go and see that local path where the .md/.mdx are stored.

Just local first edits.

Cursor decided to use the react md (instead of ToastUI) we get a simpler: https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-markdown

NextJS Reactmd editing astro sphere theme

Conclusions

Using the journal

git clone https://github.com/JAlcocerT/Just-Journal-via-SSG
#clone one of the repos below inside ./ssg-themes
make setup
make ssg-dev

Choose a cool astro theme text centered, like: https://www.astrothemes.dev/category/blog/

MIT | Astro Sphere is a static, minimalist, lightweight, lightning fast portfolio and blog.

git clone https://github.com/markhorn-dev/astro-sphere
#npm install
#npm run dev

MIT | Astro Nano is a static, minimalist, lightweight, lightning fast portfolio and blog.

GPL3.0 | Card-style Hugo theme designed for bloggers

git clone https://github.com/CaiJimmy/hugo-theme-stack
#hugo server --bind="0.0.0.0" --baseURL="http://192.168.1.8" --port=1319
npm install -g http-server
http-server dist #http-server .vercel/output/static

you might need clean up

docker system prune -a --volumes

FAQ

How to create Just-Journal-via-SSG

git init
git branch -m main
git config user.name
git config --global user.name "JAlcocerT"
git config --global user.name
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit: Starting journal via ssg"

#sudo apt install gh
gh auth login
gh repo create Just-Journal-via-SSG --private --source=. --remote=origin --push