Self-host mataroa
v1.5Minimalist blogging platform for distraction-free writing
- Stars
- 373
- Port
- 8000 (HTTP web server)
- Requires
- Caddy, PostgreSQL
What is mataroa?
Mataroa is a minimalist blogging platform built with Django that prioritizes writing over features. It gives each user a blog at a subdomain (username.mataroa.blog) or a custom domain, with markdown authoring, RSS and email newsletter subscriptions, a REST API with key-based authentication, and one-click exports to Hugo, Zola, or EPUB formats. The platform includes basic image hosting, comments, a webring, and backend analytics — all without ads, tracking cookies, or required email at signup. It can be self-hosted via Docker Compose for development or a full provisioning script (deploy/provision.sh) that sets up PostgreSQL, Caddy with automatic Let's Encrypt TLS, gunicorn, and systemd services on a fresh Debian server. A premium tier ($9/year) unlocks custom domains and post-by-email via Postmark. The codebase uses a strict dependency policy with no third-party Django apps and no JavaScript libraries.
Should you self-host mataroa?
mataroa scores 50/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #11 of 24 in Blogging. It has 373 GitHub stars.
It shipped 2 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v1.5, came out on 3 January 2026. New versions land roughly every 6 weeks.
Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. It is AGPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in Python.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Ghost (83/100, 55 626 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See mataroa vs Ghost side by side.
Features
- Backend analytics
- Comments
- Custom DomainPremium feature ($9/year)
- Email newsletter
- Export to EPUB
- Export to Hugo
- Export to Zola
- Image Hosting
- Import from text/markdown
- Markdown authoring
- Post by emailPremium feature ($9/year)
- Redirect to new domain
- REST API
- RSS Feeds
- Webring
mataroa README
FAQ
Do you support Bluesky/ATProto?
No, but would also like to. Unplanned work that might happen in the future. Open to contributions.
Do you support ActivityPub Federation?
No, but would like to. Unplanned work that might happen in the future. Open to contributions.
What about supporting Mermaid flowcharts?
Not adding mermaid-js (2.7MB minified JS). Interested in backend-rendered alternative if a lightweight solution appears.
Would you add support for LaTeX-style math expressions?
Considered but not added. Would require a JavaScript library on the frontend, and mixing LaTeX with Markdown breaks existing post rendering.
Would you consider a rich editor option?
No. Rich editors add too much complexity (e.g., Trix at 200K JS) and saving HTML instead of plain text is an annoyance.
What markdown implementation does mataroa use?
Python-Markdown library implementing John Gruber's spec with code highlighting, tables, and footnotes.
What about pagination?
No pagination — all posts appear on one page. This is intentional for simplicity, browser search, and gauging blog extent.
What about tags or categories?
Tags are considered too complicated for mataroa's minimalist approach.
Can I add a custom favicon?
No. Custom favicons would allow authors to spend time on design instead of writing.
Will you add themes?
No. The project is not interested in adding features that give more options to users. The philosophy is to enable writing without design distractions.
Why should I use mataroa instead of Substack/WordPress/etc?
Mataroa follows a minimalist philosophy — fast, simple, prioritizing text content over fancy features. You own your data and can export it easily.
Can I have my own mataroa-like platform?
Yes. The open source code can be used as a starting point. Examples include capivarasdev/mataroa and linuxgoose/bocpress.
Can I self-host mataroa?
Yes. The project is open source and deployment documentation is in the README.
Do you support custom CSS?
No. The philosophy of mataroa is to be as minimal as possible without enabling too many decisions about styling.
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