Ghost Release: 1.12.0

TL;DR

Ghost 1.12.0 introduces a new private RSS feed feature for blogs in private mode, fixes an issue with author URLs, and adds a confirmation dialog when leaving settings with unsaved changes. This release enhances privacy options while maintaining the platform's reliability through targeted bug fixes.

Highlight of the Release

• New private RSS feed feature for blogs in private mode
• Fixed author helper URL generation
• Added confirmation dialog when leaving settings with unsaved changes
• Improved debugging for collision errors

Migration Guide

No migration steps are required for this release. The new features and fixes are automatically applied when upgrading to Ghost 1.12.0.

Upgrade Recommendations

This release contains valuable new features and important bug fixes. All Ghost users are recommended to upgrade to version 1.12.0, especially those who:

• Run private blogs and need RSS feed functionality
• Have experienced issues with author URLs
• Want improved UX when editing settings

The upgrade should be straightforward with no breaking changes reported.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed author helper URL generation: Resolved an issue where the {{url}} helper wasn't returning the correct URL for author context. The fix now uses the profile_image field instead of the previously used status field that is no longer exposed.

• Updated dependency management: Fixed an issue with yarn.lock by removing the caret in the package.json file for dependencies, ensuring more predictable package installations.

• Enhanced collision debugging: Improved the collision detection system to better track how often users encounter errors and in which contexts, helping to address issue #8969.

New Features

Private RSS Feed for Private Blogs

Ghost now provides an unguessable URL that allows access to the RSS feed for blogs in private mode. This feature enables blog owners to:

• Share their private blog content with specific services like commenting systems
• Use the RSS feed for internal purposes while maintaining blog privacy
• Leverage a globally generated hash that can be reused for future features

The system automatically generates this secure hash during bootstrap if it's missing, ensuring every private blog has this capability available.

Security Updates

No specific security fixes were mentioned in this release.

Performance Improvements

No specific performance improvements were highlighted in this release.

Impact Summary

Ghost 1.12.0 delivers meaningful improvements to the platform's functionality and user experience. The addition of private RSS feeds significantly enhances the utility of private blogs, allowing content to be securely shared with specific services while maintaining overall privacy. The fix for author URL generation ensures proper linking throughout the platform, improving content discoverability and navigation. The UI enhancement with confirmation dialogs for unsaved changes in settings prevents accidental data loss and improves the administrative experience. These changes collectively make Ghost more versatile for content creators while maintaining its reliability and ease of use.

Full Release Notes