As a developer, starting a blog can be one of the most impactful things you do for your career. A developer blog allows you to share your knowledge, build your personal brand, showcase your work, get feedback from readers, and even make money.
But with so many blogging platforms out there, how do you choose the right one? As a developer, you need a platform that offers features tailored specifically for tech blogging.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll compare the top blogging platforms for developers based on:
- Features – code blocks, markdown, etc.
- Customization
- Community
- Monetization
- Ease of use
I‘ll give an overview of each platform and provide recommendations so you can choose the best option aligned with your blogging goals.
Why Should Developers Blog?
Before jumping into the top blogging platforms, let‘s discuss why blogging is so valuable for developers specifically:
Share Your Knowledge
Blogging allows you to share the programming languages, frameworks, tools and other skills you‘ve learned. Teaching others reinforces what you know and can help you learn.
Build Your Reputation
Consistently publishing high-quality technical content will establish you as an expert in your field. This can lead to job opportunities, speaking engagements, and consulting gigs.
Showcase Your Work
Your blog provides the perfect platform to showcase personal projects and code samples from work you‘ve done. This functions almost like an online portfolio to demonstrate your skills.
Get Feedback
Putting your work and writing out there opens opportunities for feedback from other developers. This allows you to improve your skills and perspective.
Additional Income
Many platforms allow you to make money from your blog through affiliate links, advertising, sponsored posts, ebooks and more. While income takes time to build, it can become quite lucrative.
Key Criteria for Evaluating Platforms
As a developer, you need more than a basic blogging platform. You need one optimized for technical blogging. Here are the key criteria I used to evaluate platforms:
Code Blocks & Syntax Highlighting
You‘ll likely be including plenty of code, so a platform must properly render and highlight multiple languages.
Markdown Support
Markdown allows you to write and format content quickly without messing with HTML tags.
Customization & Design
Pick a platform that offers themes and customization options to make your blog unique.
Developer Community
A large developer readership means more people learning from and engaging with your content.
Monetization Options
If you eventually want to earn income from your blog, ensure the platform provides diverse money-making features.
Ease of Use
You want a platform that‘s easy to use so you can focus on creating great content rather than dealing with technical issues.
The 7 Best Blogging Platforms for Developers
Now that we‘ve covered the basics, let‘s explore the top blogging options specifically suited for developers.
1. DEV
DEV is one of the most popular communities created exclusively for developers to publish articles and connect with others.
Key Features
- Built-in syntax highlighting and markdown editor
- Ability to import posts from external blogs
- Fast growing developer community
- Discussion threads for engagement
Pros
- Very easy to use and post
- Great place to get started quickly
Cons
- Limited control over site design/branding
- Fewer advanced features than self-hosted options
Overall, DEV is a stellar choice thanks to the massive built-in developer audience and straightforward posting experience. It‘s great for beginners looking to establish themselves.
2. Hashnode
Hashnode is another dedicated developer blogging platform making it easy to get started.
Key Features
- Markdown editor with code block highlighting
- Options to backup posts on GitHub
- Growing dev community
Pros
- Intuitive interface and setup
- Great features tailored for developers
Cons
- Less design control than self-hosted sites
- Smaller audience than platforms like Medium
If you want something simple that doesn‘t require managing hosting and domains, Hashnode is a wonderful free choice that should suffice for most indie bloggers.
3. Medium
With over 30 million monthly readers, Medium provides a massive built-in audience.
Key Features
- Beautiful post layouts
- Robust editor with markdown and highlight support
- Stats dashboard to track performance
- Diverse monetization options
Pros
- High readership equaling major exposure
- Powerful editor and customization options
- Multiple ways to earn money
Cons
- Post design flexibility is limited
- Very competitive writer space
Thanks to its stunning design and vast readership, Medium is likely the best platform if expanding your audience quickly is the primary goal.
4. Ghost
Ghost is an open-source, self-hosted Node.js platform gaining popularity for its flexibility and breath of features.
Key Features
- Powerful visual editor
- Themes, plugins, Webhooks, and Zapier integration
- Member subscriptions for monetization
- Built with developers in mind
Pros
- Complete control over site design and functionality
- Leading SEO and performance optimization
- Scales using dedicated servers
Cons
- Requires more technical skill to manage hosting
- Must drive all your own traffic
For developers wanting limitless customization over their blog‘s design and features, Ghost‘s developer-centric open-source architecture is perfect.
5. WordPress
No list would be complete without mentioning the world‘s most popular blogging platform – WordPress.
Key Features
- Open-source CMS powering over 43% of sites
- Massive theme and plugin ecosystem
- Robust content management tools
- Scales using managed or cloud hosting
Pros
- Mature platform with huge community
- Exceptional customization abilities
- Established traffic growth strategies
Cons
- Potential security vulnerabilities
- Dated admin dashboard and editor
- More complex hosting and setup
Already powering over 455 million sites, including many top developer blogs, WordPress offers unmatched content capabilities. But you trade simplicity for its robust functionality.
6. Blogger
Part of Google‘s ecosystem, Blogger offers a completely free hosted option.
Key Features
- Built-in image hosting and search engine optimization
- Integrates well across Google‘s stack
Pros
- Easy WYSIWYG post editor
- Simple design with decent customization
Cons
- Limited feature set
- No markdown support
Blogger won‘t compete on features or flexibility but presents a free, no-hassle alternative from a trusted brand. Great for total beginners starting a basic blog.
7. LinkedIn Articles
While not a traditional blogging site, LinkedIn Articles enable you to publish content and offers unique advantages.
Key Features
- Share natively as LinkedIn posts
- Distribute via LinkedIn newsletters and groups
- Direct access to broad professional audience
Pros
- Built-in distribution to large active readership
- Showcase thought leadership directly on your profile
Cons
- Primarily long-form article content
- Very limited branding and customization
LinkedIn provides unmatched exposure to an influential audience which could be tremendously beneficial – especially if seeking consulting clients or talent.
Getting Started With Developer Blogging
I‘ve covered a diverse set of top blogging platforms tailored for the unique needs of developers. By evaluating their key strengths and weaknesses, you hopefully have a clearer idea of which solution best aligns with your specific goals and constraints.
But no matter which platform you select, here are my overarching recommendations for developer blogging success:
Blog Consistently
Commit to a regular posting schedule and stick to it. This breeds discipline while showing readers you‘re dependable.
Optimize Posts for SEO
Utilize SEO best practices including meta descriptions, alt text, keywords and internal linking to maximize search visibility.
Engage With Your Audience
Reply to comments, participate in forum discussions, and ask for feedback to foster an active community.
Experiment With Monetization
Once you build an audience, incrementally test various money-making options over time without over-optimizing for revenue.
The most rewarding aspects of blogging arise from serving others though sharing your developer journey. The platforms reviewed above will empower you do exactly that.
Now it‘s time to start that developer blog you‘ve been dreaming about and watch your influence grow!
