Ghost Release: 5.8.0

TL;DR

Ghost 5.8.0 introduces the Ghost Explore integration, upgrades the Tenor API to v2, and fixes issues with Admin assets in development mode. Ghost Explore is now generally available, allowing users to discover and integrate with the Ghost ecosystem. The Tenor API upgrade requires users to obtain a new Google API Key as the old v1 API has been decommissioned. This release also includes numerous bug fixes, UI improvements, and developer experience enhancements, particularly around the Admin interface and development workflow.

Highlight of the Release

• Ghost Explore integration is now generally available
• Tenor API upgraded to v2 (requires new Google API Key)
• Fixed issues with Admin assets in development mode
• Improved development workflow with reduced Grunt dependencies
• Admin code migrated into the monorepo

Migration Guide

Tenor API Migration

If you're using the Tenor API for GIFs in your content, you'll need to:

1. Obtain a new Google API Key for Tenor (old keys will not work with the new API)
2. Update your Ghost configuration to use the new key
3. The configuration key has been renamed from publicReadOnlyApiKey to googleApiKey

Development Workflow Changes

If you're developing with Ghost:

1. The yarn dev command now uses nodemon and concurrently instead of Grunt
2. The workflow should auto-refresh when files change in any package (except admin)
3. Process cleanup is handled by concurrently with colored output prefixes
4. Some Grunt dependencies have been removed

Upgrade Recommendations

Standard Upgrade

This is a standard feature release with some important bug fixes. All users are recommended to upgrade, especially if:

• You're using the Tenor API for GIFs (required upgrade)
• You're developing with Ghost locally (improved experience)
• You want to access the new Ghost Explore integration

Upgrade Steps

1. Follow the standard upgrade process for your installation method
2. If using Tenor API, obtain a new Google API Key and update your configuration
3. Test your site functionality after upgrade, particularly if you use GIFs in your content

Bug Fixes

Admin Assets in Development Mode

Fixed an issue where Admin assets were missing when running Ghost in development mode. This was a regression caused by the recent switch to using different folders within core/built for development/production environments.

Tenor API Integration

Fixed issues with the Tenor API integration by upgrading to v2, as the v1 API has been decommissioned. Note that this requires users to obtain a new Google API Key for Tenor and update their configuration.

UI Fixes

• Fixed post title placeholder being invisible in dark mode
• Fixed username being cut off in profile menu
• Fixed post bookmark shifting layout bug
• Fixed empty states spacing regression
• Fixed browser preview site title word wrap bug
• Added more visual contrast to the publish button

Editor Fixes

• Fixed markdown card lacking superscripts & subscripts
• Fixed code card not correctly saving language when changing
• Fixed pasting into the post tags input not working
• Fixed flash of failure state when submitting site setup and staff signup forms
• Fixed publish end screen bookmark text overflow bug

New Features

Ghost Explore Integration

Ghost Explore has been promoted from alpha to general availability. This integration allows users to discover and connect with the broader Ghost ecosystem directly from their admin interface. The feature includes:

• A dedicated /explore route accessible to administrators
• Secure authentication flow with the Ghost Explore service
• Responsive design that works well on mobile devices
• Fullscreen UI for an immersive exploration experience

Free Trial Support for Tiers

While behind a feature flag, this release adds support for offering free trials on membership tiers:

• Site owners can specify trial days for each tier
• Trial start and end dates are stored for subscriptions
• UI updates in Portal to show trial information
• Integration with Stripe checkout for seamless trial handling

Security Updates

Authentication Improvements

• Implemented admin auth origin check to enhance security
• Added protection against unauthorized access to the auth frame
• Limited who can read response messages by origin

Shutdown Procedure Protection

Fixed an issue that allowed multiple shutdown procedures to run simultaneously, which could potentially lead to security vulnerabilities if cleanup code expected to run only once.

Performance Improvements

Development Workflow Improvements

The development workflow has been significantly improved:

• Switched from Grunt to nodemon and concurrently for running the development server
• nodemon now auto-refreshes whenever files change in any package (except admin)
• concurrently runs ghost and admin simultaneously with colored output prefixes
• Reduced dependencies on Grunt, making the codebase more maintainable

Memory Cache Improvements

Added a basic memory cache storage implementation to improve performance and memory usage:

• Created an abstraction for cache storage mechanisms
• Applied this to the settings cache manager
• Laid groundwork for alternative storage mechanisms like Redis in the future

Impact Summary

Ghost 5.8.0 brings several notable improvements to the platform. The Ghost Explore integration moving to general availability provides administrators with a new way to discover and connect with the Ghost ecosystem. The Tenor API upgrade is a necessary change due to Google's decommissioning of the v1 API, requiring users to update their configuration with a new Google API Key.

For developers, this release significantly improves the development workflow by reducing reliance on Grunt and implementing more modern tools like nodemon and concurrently. The migration of Admin code into the monorepo also enhances maintainability and development experience.

Content creators will benefit from various UI improvements and bug fixes, particularly around the editor experience and publishing workflow. The groundwork for free trial support on membership tiers (behind a feature flag) also lays the foundation for more flexible membership options in the future.

Overall, this release balances new features with important infrastructure improvements and bug fixes, making it a recommended upgrade for all Ghost users.

Full Release Notes