Blog on (GhostCMS + Astro Framework + Tor + IPFS)

📄 Technical project summary

GhostCMS + Astro Framework + Tor Hidden Service + IPFS

🎯 Project goal

Development of a resilient, independent web platform providing access to content under any network conditions — including restrictions, outages, and potential blocks. The project should be easy to maintain, scalable, and fully autonomous.

🧰 Technology stack

• GhostCMS — content management system (articles, blog)

• Astro Framework — frontend framework for static pages (main page, mirrors, instructions, etc.)

• Tor Hidden Service — hidden .onion-access for confidential and censorship-resistant entry

• IPFS — decentralized storage and content mirrors

• Nginx / Caddy / Tor daemon — proxying, routing, access management

• WireGuard / SSH (keys) — secure remote access

• Docker (optional) — containerization of components

• Git + CI/CD (optional) — for auto-building and uploading to IPFS

🧩 Project architecture

• GhostCMS:

  • can be used as a full frontend+backend (by default)

  • or as a headless CMS — API for Astro

• Astro:

  • separate module serving static pages

  • quick start, mirrors, instructions, fallback site in case of Ghost failures

  • optional — build from Ghost content via API

• Tor:

  • hidden service for site access under restrictions

  • ability for private access to Ghost admin panel

• IPFS:

  • upload of key content (or entire site)

  • can set up a script that automatically generates an IPFS hash after publication and publishes it on an Astro mirror or separate page

🔐 Main tasks

1. Install and configure GhostCMS on VPS

2. Deploy Tor Hidden Service

3. Configure Astro (separate repository or project subfolder)

4. Integrate with IPFS:

   • upload articles or entire site

   • display IPFS hashes

   • enable local recovery

5. Ensure private access to admin panel:

   • via Tor or WireGuard

   • hide admin panel from public access

6. Minimize trackers and vulnerabilities:

   • disable analytics, external scripts

   • optional protection against DDoS / fingerprinting

7. Prepare update and maintenance instructions

8. (Optional) — CI/CD or auto-publishing to IPFS via GitHub Actions or cron

🧪 Optional modules

• Clearnet domain with auto-redirect to .onion

• Generation of multilingual versions (i18n in Astro)

• Mirror status integration (e.g., Tor / IPFS availability)

• Print/export PDF versions of key articles (offline access)

🌱 Project principles

• Security, autonomy, privacy

• Ease of support and migration

• Resilience to any network restrictions

• Content without analytics, ads, or tracking

• Ability to deploy and recover even offline

💬 Communication

• Preferred channels: Matrix (Element)

• Format: phased work, tasks via Markdown/Trello/Notion, payment by agreement