GreenBlog

GreenBlog is a lightweight, secure, and fast blogging platform that serves as a minimalist alternative to WordPress. It uses PHP and SQLite with ADODB for database operations and generates static HTML files for optimal performance.

Features

• Lightweight: Minimal dependencies and low resource usage
• Secure: Built with security best practices
• Fast: Generates static HTML files for optimal performance
• Simple: Easy to install and use
• Minimal Configuration: Works with standard Apache setups

Requirements

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• SQLite 3 with PHP SQLite3 extension enabled
• Apache web server with mod_rewrite enabled
• Composer (for installation)

Installation

1. Download or clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/greenblog.git
   cd greenblog
   

2. Install dependencies using Composer

   composer install
   

3. Set file permissions

   Make sure the following directories are writable by the web server:

   chmod -R 755 data
   chmod -R 755 public_html/static
   chmod -R 755 public_html/uploads
   

4. Configure your web server

   Make sure your Apache virtual host is configured with mod_rewrite enabled and AllowOverride All.

5. Configure your web server document root

   Set your web server's document root to point to the public_html directory.

6. Run the setup script

   Navigate to http://yourdomain.com/setup.php in your web browser and follow the instructions to complete the installation.

Local Development

Running PHP's Built-in Web Server

For local development, you can use PHP's built-in web server to serve the public_html directory:

Using the Provided Scripts (Windows)

GreenBlog comes with scripts to easily start the development server:

1. Using Batch Script:

   scripts\start-server.bat
   

2. Using PowerShell Script:

   scripts\start-server.ps1
   

These scripts will:

• Check if PHP is available in your PATH
• Verify if the SQLite3 extension is loaded
• Start the server on port 8001

Manual Method

You can also start the server manually:

cd /path/to/greenblog
php -S localhost:8000 -t public_html

If you encounter permission errors, make sure you're using the correct syntax with the -t flag:

# INCORRECT (causes permission errors):
php -S localhost:8000 public_html

# CORRECT:
php -S localhost:8000 -t public_html

This will start a local development server that serves files from the public_html directory.

Notes:

• This is for development purposes only and should not be used in production
• The server will run until you stop it (Ctrl+C)
• You can change the port number (8000/8001) to any available port on your system
• Access the admin interface at http://localhost:8001/admin/ (or whichever port you're using)

Using XAMPP, WAMP, or Other Local Server Environments

If you're using XAMPP, WAMP, or a similar local server environment:

1. Configure your virtual host to point to the public_html directory
2. Access your site through the configured domain name or localhost path

Usage

Admin Interface

After installation, you can access the admin interface at http://yourdomain.com/admin/.

The admin interface allows you to:

• Create, edit, and delete posts
• Manage categories
• Upload and manage media
• Configure site settings
• Manually regenerate static files

Creating Content

1. Log in to the admin interface
2. Click on "New Post" to create a new post
3. Fill in the title, content, and other details
4. Select categories for the post
5. Upload a featured image if desired
6. Save as draft or publish immediately

Static File Generation

GreenBlog automatically generates static HTML files when:

• A post is published or updated
• A category is created or updated
• Site settings are changed

You can also manually regenerate all static files from the admin interface by clicking on "Regenerate Static Files".

Directory Structure

• public_html/: Web-accessible files
  • admin/: Admin interface files
  • static/: Generated static files
  • uploads/: Media uploads
  • assets/: CSS, JS, and images
• includes/: Core functionality
• templates/: HTML templates
• data/: SQLite database

Security Considerations

General Security

• Keep your PHP and SQLite up to date
• Use strong passwords for the admin account
• Regularly back up your database
• Consider using HTTPS for your site

Version Control & Deployment

When using version control (like Git) or deploying to a public repository:

• The .gitignore file is configured to exclude sensitive data
• Never commit the database file (data/greenblog.db) to a public repository
• Consider excluding includes/config.php after setup (uncomment the line in .gitignore)
• Be careful with user uploads in public_html/uploads/ - they are excluded by default
• Generated static files in public_html/static/ are also excluded

Production Deployment

For production environments:

• Set appropriate file permissions (typically 755 for directories, 644 for files)
• Configure your web server to deny direct access to the includes and data directories
• Regularly backup your database and uploaded content
• Consider using a more robust database like MySQL for high-traffic sites

Troubleshooting

SQLite Issues

If you encounter errors related to SQLite functions like sqlite_query(), it means your PHP installation is using SQLite3 but the code is trying to use the older SQLite2 driver. Make sure:

1. The PHP SQLite3 extension is enabled in your php.ini
2. You're using the 'sqlite3' driver in your database connection code:

   $conn = ADONewConnection('sqlite3');

Enabling SQLite3 Extension in PHP (Windows)

If you see the error "SQLite3 extension is not loaded", follow these steps to enable it:

1. Locate your php.ini file:

   php --ini
   

2. Open the php.ini file in a text editor (run as administrator)

3. Find the line with ;extension=sqlite3 (it has a semicolon at the beginning)

4. Remove the semicolon to uncomment the line:

   extension=sqlite3
   

5. Save the file and restart your web server or PHP process

6. Verify the extension is loaded:

   php -m | findstr sqlite
   

   You should see "sqlite3" in the output

PHP Built-in Server Issues

If you get permission errors when using PHP's built-in server, make sure you're using the correct syntax with the -t flag:

# CORRECT:
php -S localhost:8000 -t public_html

License

GreenBlog is released under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.