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WenMing

A personal philosophy book publishing system that automatically fetches articles from Blogger Feed API, converts to Markdown, renders as a static ebook site via mdBook + GitHub Pages, and generates precisely paginated PDFs with a two-pass layout approach. Built by ViaBTC CEO using Claude Code collaboration.

Best For

Individual authors writing article series on Blogger who want to automatically compile them into an ebook and publish. Requires Python + Node.js environment setup ability and acceptance that the project may no longer be maintained. Primary value is in the automation patterns it demonstrates rather than direct use.

How I Actually Use It

As a pattern reference rather than direct use. Three reusable concepts:

  1. Feed → Markdown auto-import: The add_article.py Blogger API fetching logic can be rewritten for other sources (e.g., PubMed RSS, Zotero exports)
  2. mdBook + GitHub Pages: A low-cost static knowledge base publishing solution
  3. Two-pass PDF: First render to calculate page numbers, then re-layout the table of contents — useful for documents requiring precise pagination (e.g., research proposals)

Where It Is Strong

  • Fetches articles from Blogger API, converts to Markdown, auto-updates book table of contents in a single command
  • Two-pass PDF generation: first calculates actual page numbers, then re-renders the TOC. Full-bleed cover image + footer stamps with accurate page references
  • Push to main auto-triggers mdBook build + GitHub Pages deployment (CI/CD closed loop)
  • Has a complete CLAUDE.md protocol defining AI collaboration norms, with co-authored commits. A practical Claude Code collaboration example

Where It Fails

  • 16 commits concentrated in March 2026, no updates for 7+ weeks. Likely stalled
  • No license, so legally you cannot fork or use commercially
  • No tests. No automated quality assurance
  • Only supports Blogger Feed API as source; other platforms require rewriting
  • Requires Python + Node.js + Rust (mdBook), three separate toolchains
  • Solo hobby project with no community, no documentation, no issue tracking

Pricing, Difficulty, and Risk

  • Free
  • Medium-high difficulty: requires setting up Python, Node.js, and mdBook (Rust) environments, plus understanding GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • Risk: No license (legal gray area); project stalled and may be permanently abandoned; complex dependency environment prone to breakage

Verdict

A proof-of-concept for personal publishing automation. Three reusable technical patterns (Feed import, two-pass PDF, mdBook CI/CD) are worth borrowing from. But the project itself lacks maturity, licensing, and active maintenance. Don't use it in any production scenario.

Source