I’ve been finding that it is easier to keep notes on my coding processes by maintaining individual project blogs using Jekyll on GitHub than keep this central blog up to date.

At first keeping notes in Jekyll required keeping the documentation in a separate branch which I found a hassle. Now GitHub will read a “docs” folder in the master branch as the Jekyll Source. This means it’s easy to jot notes into text files while working on the code without having to switch out of the text editor I’m already using or swap branches.  Thumbs up.

This blog, while languishing, will not become a Jekyll Blog in the near future. I did an initial export, logging into the database directly with a gem, But I’ve realized, with so many images and embeds the whole process will be time consuming and require touching every single post I’ve written. Not hard, just annoying. Also, it will make posting images harder, not easier. So, while I think in the long run shifting over to a static site generator would have a lot of upside that would make me post here more the change won’t come this quarter. It would be possible to use a local WordPress install and copy the files over, but both server installed WordPress and a GitHub pages Jekyll site have the advantage of being able to update from any computer with an internet connection in a jam.

Pros WordPress Status Quo:

• Its the current setup
• Decade+ of personal experience
• Written in language I already know
• Very good with handling media of all sorts
• Very customizable, within certain limits
• One place for everything

Pros GitHub Jekyll Project Blogs:

• No database
• No internet connection required during writing process
• Can write with local text editor, not in the distracting browser
• Less hackable
• Less proscribed model
• Perfect for coding notes
• More willing to write EVERYTHING down because quality of post seems like less of a big deal when it’s just “project notes”

Pros Self-hosted Jekyll:

• Still a giant community, bigger than any other Static Generator
• Total customization if I learn Ruby.