Jason Brain's Tech Blog

Gematria Calculator v1.1.0 — "The Researcher's Update"

by Jason Brain

 


Since the release of version 1.0.1, the Gematria Calculator has grown from a polished tool into a comprehensive research platform. I'm incredibly excited to announce the release of Gematria Calculator v1.1.0 — "The Researcher's Update"!

Building Your Own Systems: The Custom Cipher Engine

One of the most requested features was the ability for researchers to define their own numerical mappings. In v1.1.0, we've delivered a full-featured Custom Cipher Engine:

  • Create & Mapping: A dedicated builder interface where you can map every letter (A-Z) to your own specific numerical values.
  • Presets: Quickly initialize your mappings with Sequential, Reverse, or Pythagorean patterns.
  • Import/Export: Share your custom ciphers with the community or back up your research using JSON file exports.
  • Seamless Integration: Your custom ciphers appear right alongside the 28+ standard systems in the calculator and comparison views.

Side-by-Side Analysis: Phrase Comparison Matrix

Researching gematria often involves comparing multiple phrases to find hidden commonalities. The new Phrase Comparison View makes this effortless:

  • Unlimited Comparison: Enter multiple phrases and see their values across all your selected systems in a high-density matrix.
  • Pattern Discovery: The tool automatically highlights matching numerical values in green, allowing patterns to jump off the screen.
  • CSV Export: Need to do deeper statistical analysis? Export your entire comparison table to a CSV file for use in Excel or Google Sheets.

UX & Shareability Improvements

We’ve also added several features to make the tool feel more like a native application and easier to share:

  • Shareable Links: Found an interesting pattern? Use the new "Share" button to generate a unique URL that saves your input text and selected systems.
  • Results Sorting: You can now sort your results by Name, Value, or Default order, and your preference will persist across sessions.
  • PWA Support: The calculator is now a Progressive Web App. You can "Install" it on your phone or desktop for a standalone, distraction-free experience.

Join the Research

This update marks the completion of Phase 1 of our Roadmap, and the platform is now more powerful than ever. Whether you're a seasoned researcher or just starting your journey into the world of numbers, v1.1.0 has something for you.

Thank you for all the feedback and support as we continue to build the most advanced open-source gematria tool on the web!


Core CMS v0.3.0: Themes, Roles, and a Polished Admin Experience

by Jason Brain

I'm thrilled to announce the release of Core CMS v0.3.0. This update represents a major leap forward in usability, customization, and security. While v0.2.0 laid the foundation for content creation, v0.3.0 turns the system into a fully managed platform ready for diverse teams and designs.

Here is what's new in this release.

๐ŸŽจ The Theme System

One of the most requested features is now live. You are no longer stuck with a single hardcoded look.

  • Theme Manager: Switch between visual designs instantly from the Admin Dashboard.
  • Dark Mode: We've included a "Dark Mode" theme out of the box to demonstrate the system's flexibility.
  • Developer Friendly: Creating a new theme is as simple as adding a folder to /themes. Check out the new Theme Builder Guide in the docs.

๐Ÿ‘ฅ User Roles & Security

As teams grow, security becomes paramount. We have implemented a strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) system.

  • Administrators: Have full control (Settings, Plugins, Users).
  • Editors: Can manage content and media but cannot touch system configurations.
  • Subscribers: Read-only access (ready for future membership features).
  • User Management: Admins can now Add, Edit, and Delete users directly from the dashboard.

⚙️ Site Identity & Customization

You shouldn't need to write PHP just to change your logo.

  • Site Identity: Update your Site Title, Logo, and Footer Text directly in Site Settings.
  • Label Editor: Want to change "Read More" to "Discover"? You can now override UI text strings via the admin panel—perfect for branding or simple localization.
  • Scroll to Top: A configurable "Back to Top" button to improve navigation on long pages.

๐Ÿ–ผ️ Media & Editor Upgrades

Content creation gets smoother and more accessible.

  • Media Metadata: You can now add Alt Text, Titles, and Descriptions to your images for better SEO and accessibility.
  • Editor.js Image Tool: Drag and drop images directly into your posts using the block editor.
  • Menu Enhancements: Reorder menu links manually and link to internal pages by ID (so links don't break if you rename a slug).

๐Ÿ“Š A Modern Dashboard

We've refreshed the Admin Dashboard. The old text links are gone, replaced by a responsive Quick Actions Grid that makes navigating the backend faster and more touch-friendly.

๐Ÿš€ What's Next?

With the core experience now robust and customizable, we are officially moving to Phase 5. The next major update will introduce the Event Planner Plugin, transforming Core CMS into a specialized tool for managing events and bookings.

View the Changelog | Download v0.3.0

Introducing Core CMS: A Lightweight, Modular Foundation for the AI Era

by Jason Brain

I am excited to announce that I have officially made my latest project, Core CMS, public on GitHub.

For a long time, I've felt that modern Content Management Systems have become too heavy. They often come packed with features you never use, frameworks that require a steep learning curve, and bloat that slows down the "heartbeat" of your website.

I wanted to build something different. Something that returns to the roots of clean, procedural PHP, but architected for the future of AI integration.

๐ŸŒŸ The Philosophy: "The Star in the Core"

The concept behind Core CMS is simple: The Core should be the Brain.

If we treat a CMS like a human body:

  • The Core is the Central Nervous System. It handles the logic, routing, and security. It keeps the lights on.
  • The Database is the Memory (Hippocampus).
  • Plugins are Learned Skills. Just as learning to play the piano doesn't change your DNA, adding an Event Planner shouldn't hack your core files.

This separation of concerns ensures that the system remains fast, secure, and incredibly stable, no matter how many "skills" (plugins) you teach it.

๐Ÿ› ️ Under the Hood

Core CMS is built with a "No Framework" approach to ensure maximum performance and understanding:

  • PHP 8.3+: Utilizing the latest features for speed and type safety.
  • MySQL (MariaDB): Robust data storage using secure PDO Prepared Statements.
  • Block-Based Editing: Integrated Editor.js for a modern writing experience that saves clean JSON data (perfect for AI parsing) instead of messy HTML blobs.
  • Zero Bloat: No heavy frontend frameworks. Just clean HTML5 and CSS3.

๐Ÿš€ What's Built So Far?

We have just completed Phase 4 (Expansion), meaning the system is now a fully functional CMS:

  • Secure Authentication: Login, Logout, and Session management.
  • Content Management: Create, Edit, and Delete Posts and Pages.
  • Taxonomy: Organize content with hierarchical Categories and Tags.
  • Media Library: Upload and manage images securely.
  • User Profiles: Manage accounts and avatars.
  • Dynamic Menus: Control your site navigation directly from the Admin Dashboard.

๐Ÿ”ฎ What's Next?

The roadmap is ambitious. Now that the foundation is solid, we are moving into Phase 5, where we will build the Event Planner Plugin—a specialized module for managing bookings and vendors.

Beyond that, Core CMS is designed to be AI-Native. Future phases include:

  • Admin Copilot: An AI assistant to help draft content and summarize data.
  • Frontend Agents: Chatbots that can query the database to answer visitor questions.

๐Ÿ”— Check it Out

The repository is now open source. I invite you to explore the code, read the documentation, and see how a modern, lightweight CMS is built from scratch.

View Core CMS on GitHub

See the Live Demo