r/Blog

A multi-language blog platform built with Next.js (App Router), featuring markdown-based posts, a liking system, and automated content generation using LLMs based on reddit threads (subreddit).

Core Features

• Multi-language Blog: Displays a list of blog posts and individual post details, supporting English (en-US) and French (fr-FR).
• Markdown/MDX Content: Blog posts are written and stored in Markdown/MDX format in the content/posts/ directory, organized by language.
• Post Liking: Anonymous users can "like" individual blog posts. Like counts are stored in the database.
• Automated Blog Post Generation: Includes a script (writePostFromReddit.ts) that leverages external data sources (like Reddit) and an LLM (e.g., Mistral). The process involves:
  • Fetching source data (e.g., from a specified subreddit).
  • Structuring prompts for the LLM to generate content based on the fetched data.
  • Receiving structured JSON output from the LLM, adhering to the MDAST (Markdown Abstract Syntax Tree) specification. This ensures the content is well-formed and predictable.
  • Compiling this MDAST JSON structure into ready-to-write Markdown/MDX files using a compiler like Remark (as implemented in infrastructure/adapters/RemarkMdastCompiler.ts).

Tech Stack

• Framework: Next.js (App Router)
• Language: TypeScript
• Styling: Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui
• Database: Neon Serverless PostgreSQL
• ORM: Drizzle ORM
• Content: Markdown/MDX
• Markdown Processing: Remark, MDAST (for abstract syntax tree representation and generation)
• AI/LLM: Mistral API (via infrastructure/adapters/MistralApiMdastFactory.ts for generating structured MDAST JSON)

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v20 or later recommended)
• npm, pnpm, or yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd micro-blog

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   # or
   # pnpm install
   # or
   # yarn install

3. Environment Variables: Create a .env file in the root directory by copying the example (if one exists) or creating it from scratch. You will need the following variables:

   • DATABASE_URL: Your Neon Serverless PostgreSQL connection string.
   • MISTRAL_API_KEY: Your API key for the Mistral AI service (required for the reddit-to-post script).

4. Database Setup: Push the database schema to your Neon database:

   npm run db:push

Running the Development Server

Start the Next.js development server:

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Running the Content Generation Script

To automatically generate a blog post from a Reddit URL using the LLM past the value of your subreddit in the TARGET_SUBREDDIT variable in the writePostFromReddit.ts and run :

# Ensure your .env file has MISTRAL_API_KEY
npm run reddit-to-post
# Example:
# npm run reddit-to-post

(Note: Check writePostFromReddit.ts for the exact arguments required)

Project Structure

• content/posts/: Contains the Markdown/MDX blog post files, organized by locale (en-US, fr-FR).
• core/: Defines the core domain logic, use cases, and ports (interfaces) following Ports & Adapters architecture.
  • domain/: Core entities and business rules.
  • ports/: Interfaces for external dependencies (database, file system, APIs).
  • usecases/: Application-specific logic orchestrating domain objects and ports.
• infrastructure/: Implementation details for ports and framework-specific code.
  • adapters/: Concrete implementations of the ports defined in core/ports.
  • persistence/: Database interaction logic (Drizzle schema, repositories).
  • framework/nextjs/: Next.js specific code (actions, server functions, utilities).
• src/: Next.js application code.
  • app/: App Router implementation (pages, layouts, components).
  • components/: Shared UI components.
  • lib/: Utility functions, dictionaries for i18n.
  • middleware.ts: Handles internationalization routing.

Coding Standards & Architecture

• Ports & Adapters: The core logic is decoupled from infrastructure concerns using interfaces (ports) and concrete implementations (adapters).
• SOLID Principles: Code aims to follow SOLID principles for maintainability and testability.
• Next.js App Router: Iincluding Server/Client component usage and file structure.
• TypeScript: The entire codebase uses TypeScript for type safety.
• MDAST for Content Generation: Leverages MDAST and structured JSON output from LLMs for reliable, automated Markdown generation, ensuring consistency and predictability.
• Styling: Uses Tailwind CSS utility classes primarily, with shadcn/ui for pre-built components.

What Could Be Done

• Parameterize Content Script: Allow passing arguments (e.g., subreddit, output directory, language) to the writePostFromReddit.ts script via CLI flags instead of relying on hardcoded values within the script.
• User Authentication & Comments: Implement user accounts and a commenting system.
• Admin Panel: Create an interface for managing blog posts, users, and settings.
• Expanded i18n: Add support for more languages and improve translation management.
• Testing: Increase test coverage (unit, integration, end-to-end).
• CI/CD: Set up a continuous integration and deployment pipeline.
• LLM Enhancements: Explore more sophisticated LLM integration (e.g., fine-tuning, different models, improved prompt engineering).
• Content Sources: Integrate additional automated content sources beyond Reddit.
• Schema Validation: Add validation for the LLM's MDAST JSON output to ensure robustness.