This page is a small colophon for Trowlen.one: the tools used to build, maintain, illustrate, and quietly operate the site.

Site and Publishing

Grav 2

Trowlen.one runs on Grav v2, a flat-file CMS. Pages are stored as Markdown files, which keeps the site portable, readable, and easy to maintain without a database.

Grav Admin2

The admin interface is powered by Admin2, which is used for creating and editing pages, setting dates, managing published status, and handling day-to-day site work.

Trowlen Theme

The site uses a custom Trowlen theme built from the Quark2 theme as a starting point. It now includes custom layouts for ramblings, notes, gallery/artwork, search, metadata, social sharing, PDF printing, and the quieter footer.

Writing, Code, and Visuals

ChatGPT Codex

ChatGPT Codex is used for site programming, template updates, CSS adjustments, Grav troubleshooting, small helper scripts, and keeping the local site structure organized.

Copilot

Copilot is used for visual elements and image ideas, especially when the site needs a Trowlen-style graphic or illustration direction.

Notifications and Communication

Feedrabbit

Feedrabbit handles RSS-to-email notifications. Visitors can subscribe through Feedrabbit using the ramblings feed, which means Trowlen.one does not collect or store subscriber email addresses.

Feed used for notifications:

https://trowlen.one/ramblings.atom

Gmail

Gmail.com is used for email storage and delivery connected to the site, including contact-form mail handling.

Grav Plugins and Site Features

Feed Plugin

The Feed plugin publishes RSS/Atom feeds for ramblings, making subscriptions and RSS readers possible.

SimpleSearch

SimpleSearch powers the site search page and the search box in the social/share bar.

Sitemap

The Sitemap plugin generates the sitemap used by search engines.

Breadcrumbs

The Breadcrumbs plugin adds navigation context to pages below the home page.

Shortcode Core

Shortcode Core supports custom inline tools, including the aside/note modal shortcode used inside ramblings.

Form and Email Plugins

The Form and Email plugins power the contact page and send contact-form submissions.

API Plugin

The API plugin is used for small maintenance tasks, including scripts that can ask Grav to clear its cache after files are updated.