What's the right way to create a simple blog in Craft?

Question

Should I create a Single for the blog home page content (/blog) and then a Channel to hold the entries (/blog/{slug})?

The blog index page also needs to have non blog entries on, i.e. intro text describing what the blog is about.

Answer 1

A Channel called Blog as follows:

• Entry URL Format: blog/{slug}
• Entry Template: blog/_entry

In blog/_entry.html:

{% extends "_layout" %}
{% set title = "{{ entry.title }}" %}

{% block content %}
    <article>
        <h2><a href="{{ entry.url }}">{{ entry.title }}</a></h2>
        {{ entry.body }}
        <p>Written by {{ entry.author }} on {{ entry.postDate|date('M d, Y') }}</p>
    </article>
{% endblock %}

You don't need to create a Single for the Blog index page.

You can just create a template file: blog/index.html with:

{% extends "_layout" %}
{% set title = "Blog" %}

{% block content %}
    {% for entry in craft.entries.section('blog').find() %}
        <article>
            <h2><a href="{{ entry.url }}">{{ entry.title }}</a></h2>
            {{ entry.body }}
            <p>Written by {{ entry.author }} on {{ entry.postDate|date('M d, Y') }}</p>
        </article>
    {% endfor %}
{% endblock %}

EDIT:

If it is a requirement for end users to be able to publish and edit content, other than blog entries, appearing on Blog index page via the CP, then a Single is the way to go.

• Create custom field(s).
• Create Single called Blog Index, or Blog Homepage, or something other than Blog.
• Add custom field(s) to Blog Single entry type.
• Entry Template: blog/index

In blog/index.html:

{% extends "_layout" %}
{% set title = "Blog" %}

{% block content %}
    {{ entry.customField }}

    {% for entry in craft.entries.section('blog').find() %}
        <article>
            <h2><a href="{{ entry.url }}">{{ entry.title }}</a></h2>
            {{ entry.body }}
            <p>Written by {{ entry.author }} on {{ entry.postDate|date('M d, Y') }}</p>
        </article>
    {% endfor %}
{% endblock %}