A modern static blog platform built with Next.js that uses GitHub Gists as a headless CMS. This project demonstrates practical architectural patterns for content management without traditional database overhead.

• Next.js 15 with App Router for file-based routing and server components
• React 19 for modern UI patterns and server-side rendering
• TypeScript for type safety across the entire application
• Tailwind CSS with shadcn/ui component system
• GitHub API as the primary data source

The main architectural decision is using GitHub Gists as a headless CMS instead of a traditional database or CMS platform.

Why GitHub Gists?

1. No infrastructure overhead - No database to manage, migrate, or host
2. Built-in version control - Content changes are tracked automatically
3. Familiar editing experience - Write in GitHub's Markdown editor
4. Reliable API - GitHub's proven infrastructure and uptime
5. Zero cost - Leverages existing GitHub account

Content Structure

Content follows a structured format in gist descriptions:

Type - Title - Description

Supported content types:

• Blog - Long-form articles
• Poem - Poetry and creative writing
• Sharing - Code snippets and technical sharing
• Beep - Short-form thoughts and updates

Markdown content is stored in index.md files within each gist.

GitHub Gists API → Repository Layer → Server Components → Static Pages

1. Data fetching happens server-side during build time
2. Repository pattern abstracts GitHub API calls
3. Server components render content without client-side JavaScript
4. Static generation pre-renders all pages for performance

├── app/                    # Next.js App Router pages
│   ├── articles/          # Article listing and categories
│   │   ├── [slug]/        # Dynamic article routes
│   │   ├── blog/          # Blog category page
│   │   ├── poem/          # Poetry category page
│   │   └── sharing/       # Code sharing category
│   ├── beeps/             # Short-form content
│   ├── stats/             # GitHub profile statistics
│   └── api/og/            # Dynamic Open Graph images
├── components/            # Reusable UI components
│   ├── ui/               # Base shadcn/ui components
│   ├── article-content/  # MDX rendering components
│   ├── category-tab/     # Content filtering UI
│   └── head-bar/         # Navigation and search
├── repositories/         # Data access layer
│   ├── gist/            # GitHub Gists API calls
│   ├── stats/           # Profile statistics
│   └── about/           # Profile information
├── lib/                 # Utility functions
│   ├── config.ts        # Centralized configuration
│   ├── metadata.ts      # SEO metadata helpers
│   └── parse-entry.ts   # Content parsing logic
└── constants/           # Application constants

Repository Pattern Data access is abstracted through repository modules that handle GitHub API interactions and caching logic.

Server Components First Most components are server components that fetch data during build time, reducing client-side JavaScript.

Compound Components UI components follow composition patterns for flexibility and reusability.

Static Site Generation

export const dynamic = "force-static";

All pages are pre-rendered at build time for optimal performance.

Caching Strategy

const cache = unstable_cache(cb, keyParts, {
  revalidate: 3600 * 12, // 12 hours
});

GitHub API calls are cached for 12 hours to balance content freshness with API rate limits.

Image Optimization Next.js Image component with Sharp optimization for responsive, optimized images.

• Structured data with Schema.org markup for better search engine understanding
• Dynamic Open Graph images generated per article
• Semantic HTML with proper heading hierarchy
• Sitemap generation for search engine indexing
• RSS-like content structure through consistent metadata

Getting Started

npm install
npm run dev

Environment Variables

GITHUB_PAT=your_github_personal_access_token
GITHUB_USERNAME=your_github_username

Content Creation Process

1. Create a new GitHub Gist
2. Set description following the format: Type - Title - Description
3. Add content in index.md file
4. Content appears automatically on next build

Static Export The application generates static HTML/CSS/JS that can be deployed to any static hosting service.

Incremental Static Regeneration Pages revalidate every 12 hours to fetch new content while maintaining static performance.

Error Monitoring Sentry integration for both build-time and runtime error tracking.

GitHub API as Single Source of Truth

• Pro: No database complexity, version control included
• Con: Dependent on GitHub API availability and rate limits

Static Generation Over SSR

• Pro: Better performance, lower hosting costs, better SEO
• Con: Content updates require rebuilds (mitigated by ISR)

TypeScript Throughout

• Pro: Better developer experience, fewer runtime errors
• Con: Slightly more complex setup and build process

Server Components Over Client Components

• Pro: Less JavaScript, better performance, better SEO
• Con: Limited interactivity (addressed with strategic client components)

• Vercel Analytics for user behavior tracking
• Speed Insights for Core Web Vitals monitoring
• Sentry for error tracking and performance monitoring
• GitHub API rate limit monitoring through response headers

This architecture prioritizes simplicity, performance, and maintainability over complex features. It's designed for a personal blog where:

1. Content creation should be simple - GitHub's interface is familiar
2. Performance should be excellent - Static generation provides instant loading
3. Maintenance should be minimal - No databases or servers to manage
4. Costs should be low - Static hosting is cheap or free
5. Development should be productive - TypeScript and modern tooling