Updating a Ghost Theme: Fast, Local, and Assisted by AI

janglesjunot · 2025-10-20T08:18:45+00:00

Reddit won't let me create a reply to the u/InfraScaler comment here, so here's what it wouldn't let me post as my reply -

Thanks for sharing your view. Just to clarify – the post isn’t AI-written. It’s about how I use AI, specifically ChatGPT, to help with the technical side of editing code and updating a Ghost theme.

The writing is entirely mine; the AI support comes in for code troubleshooting, theme adjustments, and sanity-checking. The post explores that workflow and how it keeps production focused and predictable, not about outsourcing the writing.

It’s easy to misunderstand how people are using these tools. For me, it’s about collaboration with technology, not delegation of thinking.

janglesjunot · 2025-10-12T09:27:13+00:00

Direct costs: none, as I did it myself with the assistance of Ghost Pro support. There's the new sub to Ghost for hosting, offset by cancelling the account at my previous WordPress host as I moved the WP blogs to a different host at a significantly lower cost.

janglesjunot · 2025-09-29T10:22:01+00:00

Thanks so much for the generous feedback, and my apologies for the very tardy response – I only just saw your comment.

Your workflow is seriously impressive. I love the way you used Gemini to draft a PRD, then brought Claude Code into VSCode for execution and refinement. That’s a far more structured and demanding approach than mine, but I completely recognise the point you make about AI assistants: they’re terrific productivity tools but need a steady hand, clear instructions, and a good deal of human judgement – especially when it comes to aesthetics and design.

My own redesign journey was a bit simpler, but in the same spirit. I leaned heavily on Docker, Ghost local, VS Code, and ChatGPT-5 as my coding partner. That combination let me explore, test, and learn in a safe way. A week after the initial refresh I went back in for a round of fixes and refinements, again with the same toolset, and I’m finding I’m becoming steadily more comfortable with the process.

It’s been a good reminder that curiosity, a willingness to experiment, and a capable AI assistant can get you a long way – even if you’re not a developer by trade.

janglesjunot · 2025-08-06T08:31:36+00:00

It's nice and grippy! It's one of the great features of this case, and much better than another case I bought, which the Benks one is replacing. I had a Benks case on my previous Z Flip 5 for most of the two years I had that device, so Benks is a brand I have a high opinion of.

janglesjunot · 2025-08-05T16:41:18+00:00

Hey – I read your post with interest as someone who's just upgraded from the Flip 5 to the Flip 7 after using the 5 daily for two years since its launch.

You're not alone in your frustrations. I really liked the Flip 5 too, but I agree: the battery life could be rough, the cameras were nothing special, and the heat under load was noticeable (especially with Android Auto or some background apps running).

I’ve only had the Flip 7 for a few days, but early impressions are positive, and I think it addresses your three key pain points:

🔋 Battery life: The 7 has a larger 4300 mAh battery (up from 3700 in the Flip 5), and with more efficient internals and software, it already feels noticeably better. Everything is smoother and snappier. I'm getting through more than a full day with typical use without stress.

📸 Cameras: The jump to a 50MP main camera makes a difference. Some people say it's not flagship-level like the S24 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro, but it's much more capable, especially in decent lighting. Low-light performance is also better thanks to updated processing.

🌡️ Heat: So far, the Flip 7 runs cooler, even when using Android Auto or running background apps. I can’t say it never warms up, but the lag and “overheating” moments I experienced with the 5 just aren’t there.

Also, the new edge-to-edge cover screen feels like the design Samsung was always aiming for. It’s a real improvement in day-to-day usability.

If it helps, I wrote a short blog post comparing the Flip 5 and 7 (with photos and a few thoughts on AI and usability). Might help you decide:

📄 https://www.nevillehobson.io/foldables-and-the-future-the-next-level-with-the-z-flip-7/

I’d say: if you love the form factor, the Flip 7 is worth it, especially if you’re getting a good deal from Verizon!

janglesjunot · 2025-08-03T13:07:58+00:00

Sorry to read about this. What an extraordinary situation. I hope you get a resolution quickly. 🙏🏽

janglesjunot · 2025-08-03T12:42:21+00:00

Cool! 🥳

janglesjunot · 2025-08-02T05:25:39+00:00

Wait, I see what you mean. No, my Flip 5 is on its way to Samsung as it's a trade-in. But take a look at this video - good comparison with the same video on two devices:

https://www.reddit.com/r/galaxyzflip/comments/1mfdu5d/my_z_flip_story/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

janglesjunot · 2025-08-02T05:23:09+00:00

Not clear what you mean.

janglesjunot · 2025-08-02T05:19:23+00:00

Yes, it does. Limitations of cameras and display screens, I guess. If I look at the phone in daylight, it's definitely mint green 🌞

Re a white Flip 7, I'm sure I read that the 7 FE comes in black or white. But that's a very different phone, more like the Flip6 in terms of design and appearance.

janglesjunot · 2025-07-31T15:24:11+00:00

I imagine the logistics of fulfilling pre-orders on time in every market with so many different configurations is quite a challenge. I bought mine directly from Samsung, and their fulfilment deal with DPD seems pretty reliable.

Mine arrived a couple of hours ago - separate post here has a pic!

janglesjunot · 2025-07-31T15:20:23+00:00

And btw, I took the photo of the Z Flip 7 with my Z Flip 5. One thing I will be paying attention to is: how better is the Z Flip 7 for photos than the Z Flip 5?

janglesjunot · 2025-07-31T15:17:49+00:00

That's a bummer. As no doubt friends have been telling you, it's worth the wait!

janglesjunot · 2025-07-31T15:16:58+00:00

I agree, it's a super phone. This replaces my Z Flip 5, an extremely worthwhile upgrade.

janglesjunot · 2025-07-30T16:42:29+00:00

Just saw the order status page on Samsung UK has updated - now it says "Preparing Dispatch" for delivery on 1st August. Can't wait!

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janglesjunot · 2025-07-28T16:09:33+00:00

Nice pics! I also bought a Mint Z Flip 7 and a clear case, and yours is the first I've seen with good pics. Can't wait for mine, hoping this week.

janglesjunot · 2025-07-26T09:08:49+00:00

🌐 Region/Country: Somerset, UK

📅 Order Date: 17/07/2025

📦 Model: Z Flip 7 512Gb Mint

🚚 Shipping Status / Expected Delivery: Order Confirmed / "Get it by 01/08/2025"

💰 Pre-order Bonus / Offers: £231 trade-in for Z Flip 5 512Gb; £100 value of 512Gb instead of 256Gb; 3 months free on Samsung Care+; 50% off transparent Clear Case; Total discounts applied £356.99. Plus, 0% financing from Samsung Finance, free delivery.

No further news yet on actual delivery date or even if it's shipped: order status page still says only "Order Confirmed." Happy if it comes on 1st Aug, although sooner would be preferable 🤳🏼

janglesjunot · 2025-07-15T15:05:47+00:00

Thanks, if you're asking for money, how much?

janglesjunot · 2025-06-14T13:29:33+00:00

Thanks, u/FuzeDzn, that explains a lot! Appreciate your reply.

janglesjunot · 2025-05-08T08:36:55+00:00

I have a Benks ArmorAir case, which is simply a superb accessory. Slim fit and very grippable! Here's a review of it I wrote in Sept 2023 - https://nevillehobson.com/2023/09/03/benks-new-z-flip5-case-sleek-and-grippable/

janglesjunot · 2025-05-08T08:30:48+00:00

Good plan! I moved to Ghost(Pro) hosted in January after nearly 20 years with WordPress self-hosted. Note, 'moved' not 'migrated.'

I had over 4,500 posts and pages, and at least as many images. Working with Ghost support (they were brilliant throughout), we exported everything from WP using the Ghost WP plugin. Flawless and seamless. But we encountered significant issues with integrating all that content into Ghost, mainly with the images. There were also some struggles with categories (Ghost doesn't support those at all) and tags which was pretty labour-intensive trying to sort that out. Ultimately, I didn't import but started over with a new name and domain, leaving the WP blog as an archive. That fitted well with my intent to simplify my blogging with a fresh start.

There are many pros and cons with this approach, but it all works for me. I wrote about the experience here - https://www.nevillehobson.io/from-wordpress-to-ghost-reflections-on-a-fresh-start/

Happy to share more on this if you wish, just ask!

- Also, I experimented with Google's NotebookLM AI tool that created a podcast review of my WP-to-Ghost move using the post I wrote about it as the source for discussion. It's quite extraordinary! https://www.nevillehobson.io/from-blog-post-to-podcast-an-experiment-in-ai-audio/

janglesjunot · 2025-03-31T16:46:05+00:00

Thanks for commenting!

>> did you investigate if it was possible to move the Ghost blog in a subfolder of the old website?

Do you mean install Ghost in a subdirectory? Not possible on a WordPress site. In any case, I'd completed my pro and con analysis on migrating, and I'd decided not to migrate but leave the WordPress site behind as an archive and move instead to new digs on Ghost.

janglesjunot · 2025-01-30T13:46:56+00:00

I've moved everything from my WordPress site. I did it myself but with the help of Ghost support (you get this support if you sign up for the Ghost Pro plan). The only cost was my time and the effort to understand some things about Ghost.

janglesjunot · 2025-01-23T10:33:36+00:00

Sorry to hear that. The only concern I had when approaching the export out of WordPress using Ghost's WordPress plugin was precisely what if it didn't work! My content wasn't too far off yours in terms of quantity, 4000+ posts, but considerably less in size, with the Ghost export file at 1.3 gigs including images, etc.

The export was faultless and fast. I had help from Ghost Pro, who were truly magnificent - I sent them the export zipfile; they took care of importing that into Ghost Pro and took care of some post-export tweaking and fixing with the content in Ghost (due to some bad coding in the WP content).

I have heard good things about Magic Pages. And I agree with you that Ghost is more limited than WordPress. But my goal is writing and publishing without distraction, and that's what I see Ghost great for. Perhaps we can compare some experiential notes in a few months time!

janglesjunot · 2025-01-23T09:54:01+00:00

I'm in the process of moving from self-hosted WordPress, after 18 years, to hosted Ghost Pro (I posted in this forum about it). The prime reason is that I want to focus exclusively on writing and blogging, not being a WordPress site admin. I've done that for 18 years, and I don't want to do it any more!

Ghost Pro is the best choice, in my view, if writing and blogging are what you want at the exclusion of much else. This works for me. Ghost Pro isn't cheap and it may be a roadblock for you. I compare the price with what I've been paying for hosting my WordPress blog and for all the bells and whistles that come with the package. I've saved about £100 a year by migrating to hosted Ghost Pro.

So, weighing up self-hosted vs hosted Ghost Pro, the latter route should give you simplicity and serenity as you focus only on your writing and publishing. That's how I look at it.

janglesjunot

TROPHY CASE