Welcome to HibbittsDesign.org – creating open-source software for educators, digital publishers, and content creators, informed by over 25 years of experience in software interaction design, UX consulting, and higher education.
Whether you're digitally savvy or curious, HibbittsDesign.org offers a range of open-source software to harness the open, portable, and constraint-free nature of Markdown while enhancing the experience for both authors and their audiences. For those seeking personalized guidance, Paul Hibbitts also offers additional professional services & support.
You can also explore materials on Markdown publishing and UX design, building open-source projects & online learning insights that Paul has curated and authored.
All the tools below share a common foundation: open, portable, and constraint-free Markdown files. This means you can start simple and grow into more capability over time – bringing your content with you at each step.
From no-setup web publishing with the Docsify-This Web App, to self-hosted Docsify Starter Kits, to Ready-to-Run Grav Skeleton Packages with Git Sync, to the Grav Premium Helios Ecosystem – the most full-featured course and publishing management option, combining a modern premium theme with a full CMS platform, admin panel, and online editor.
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Which tool might be best for you?
“I want to publish right now” – No accounts, no hosting. Paste your Markdown URL into the Docsify-This Web App.
“I'm comfortable with GitHub” – Choose from the Docsify Starter Kits to best match your needs. No hosting costs — your repository is the site.
“I want a full CMS I control” – the Helios Course Hub or Helios Open Reader from the Grav Premium Helios Ecosystem, or one of the Grav Open Source Projects ready-to-run skeleton packages, all built on Grav with a browser-based admin panel. Requires a web server with PHP 8+; Helios options also require a paid Helios theme license, directly funding continued open-source Grav CMS development.
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Built on the Grav Premium Helios theme, two pre-configured skeleton packages share a modern visual design, context-aware search, and built-in versioning:
Both share the same Grav CMS foundation as the open-source skeletons below, and install as the same pre-configured packages you're already familiar with.
Why Helios? The premium Helios theme adds a modern visual design, context-aware search, and a versioning system for multiple courses or structured publications – capabilities not available in the open-source Grav skeletons below. It's the right choice when you need a polished, contemporary experience without custom theme development.
✅ All Grav Premium Helios projects are forward-compatible with the upcoming Grav 2 release.
Give your courses a modern, open home on the web – without building from scratch, and with the same care for author and student experience that defines all hibbittsdesign.org projects. This package transforms the Grav Premium Helios theme into a ready-to-run companion site for one or more courses. It includes context-aware search and pre-built example course pages, built on Grav CMS, with Markdown file-based content that's open, portable, and constraint-free – no database, and a built-in browser-based Admin panel you fully control.