It is not my first time writing on a blog, but it is the first time I am doing it on Hashnode, and I wanted to use my first article to explain why I chose this platform.

Before we start, I need to clarify that I don't pretend to sell Hashnode to people who haven't decided what to use for their blogging journey yet. My intention here is to share some scenarios and reasons why this platform may be good (or not) for you. Maybe after reading this article, instead of using Hashnode, you end up using WordPress or even creating something from scratch. Any choice is ok as long as it covers your needs.

Simplicity

This was one of the most important aspects to me. Starting a blog on Hashnode is extremely simple; you barely have to configure anything. You can create your account and have a decent-looking blog in a matter of minutes.

There are some customization options, and you can even add your own CSS if you want to change even more things. In fact, this blog is using this feature to change the colors of this page.

I have plenty of front-end experience, so it would be easy for me to create something from scratch or even use a static site generator like HUGO or 11ty, but I was looking for a minimalistic page, and that's exactly what I am getting here.

Pricing

Hashnode is basically free. The only two aspects you can pay for are a custom domain and Hashnode Pro, and both elements are completely optional. You can get a good domain for less than $20 per year, and you probably don't need the Hashnode Pro subscription.

Just to be clear, you don't need to pay to add a custom domain here; that part is free. You would eventually have to buy a custom domain on the platform of your preference and then use it here at no extra cost.

The only really good feature I have seen on the pro subscription is the Publish from GitHub feature, but you can back up your articles on GitHub with the free plan anyway.

Convenience

Most of the features you can think of to create a really useful website for you as the blogger and your users as the readers have already been implemented.

Your readers already have these features: Internal search, comments, bookmarks, the option to share on social media, and dark/light mode. You, as the writer, already have access to analytics (basic but good enough), backup articles on GitHub, and the ability to enable or disable a newsletter.

Maintainability

Since you are using someone else's platform, you don't have to worry about maintaining it. Writing is your only concern. You don't have to worry about the database or the network, updating plugins, or even installing security patches.

Traffic

This is one of the most important aspects of using Hashnode. In a way, Hashnode is a social media platform; therefore, you already have tons of users here, and it will be easier for you to turn some of those users into your readers rather than starting in a more isolated environment.

More importantly, this platform's traffic is already interested in engineering-related topics. So, if you write an article about Go or Kali Linux, you are already in a place where those topics matter.

Hashnode is not for you if

I need to be fair in this article, so I'll mention some aspects to consider that could make you choose a different option.

• If you plan to write content for non-engineers: If you want to write articles about various different topics, such as origami, cats, or DIY projects, then this platform is not for you. Hashnode is a platform specifically for developers/engineers.

• If you want a specific layout and branding: Since you only get a few customization options, you won't be able to have a specific design; even if you use custom CSS rules, you won't be able to do some things.

• If you want a piece of the cake (money): As far as I can see, the only way to monetize content on Hashnode is with the Sponsor option. You can't implement your own ads, so if this is your plan, now you know.

• If you want more features: If you want to add even more features like modals, special banners, or any other feature that is not offered by Hashnode, then you will need something else.

• If you want to have more "exclusive" content: Platforms like Medium can make articles only for members of the platform (👎), so if you want to read it, you need to create an account. If this is what you want (I don't see the point of that), this platform won't have it.

• If you want more data from your readers: If you want more specific data, again, you won't get it here.

Overall, Hashnode is a great platform for most cases, but depending on your needs, some nuances might be important.