Drummer

Free plan MacWeb

What Drummer is

Drummer is a web scripting environment built around outlining and JavaScript. Its hierarchical editor organizes notes into outlines, with tabs and bookmarks that can point to individual headlines. Outlines use OPML, and the Mac desktop app, Electric Drummer, can read and write those files for use with other outliners and RSS readers.

Drummer turns outlines into blogs with the Old School content management system. Blog material can follow a calendar structure of months, days, and posts. Output formats include RSS, JSONified RSS, JSONified OPML, a Facebook RSS feed, and homepage HTML. Custom templates can use styles.css, code.js, and index.html; a public glossary outline can substitute terms when a blog is rendered. A Radio3 linkblog JSON file can provide a Links tab.

Electric Drummer runs in an Electron shell, uses the web version’s scripting model, and can access files on the Mac’s hard disk. It includes its required files rather than downloading code from the internet. Creating public files requires email sign-in and confirmation. Image uploads require an Amazon S3 account and a publicly accessible bucket. Drummer is free and available on the web and macOS.

Who it suits

Drummer suits people who organize writing as outlines and want to publish blogs from that material. Mac users who want a desktop version can use Electric Drummer, while image uploads require an Amazon S3 account and a publicly accessible bucket.

What it does well

Free plan is available.
Reads and writes OPML files.
Builds blogs from outlines.
Supports custom blog templates.
Web and macOS platforms are listed.

What to know first

Electric Drummer’s first release is for Mac.
Image uploads require an Amazon S3 account and public bucket.
Public-file creation requires email confirmation.

Limits

The desktop release described is for Mac, while Windows and Linux versions are only described as possible. Image uploading depends on an Amazon S3 account and a publicly accessible bucket.

Getting started

Open the Drummer website
Use the web outliner to create and organize notes
Install Electric Drummer on a Mac for local file access
Sign in with an email address and confirm the emailed link to create public files
Import or export outlines as OPML files
Configure blog templates or add a Radio3 linkblog JSON URL when publishing

Verdict

Drummer combines outlining, JavaScript scripting, and blog publishing, with a Mac desktop counterpart that supports local files. Check its email sign-in requirement and S3 image-upload requirement if those workflows matter to you.

Questions

Is Drummer free?

Yes. Drummer has a free plan.

Which platforms does it support?

Drummer is available on the web and macOS. Electric Drummer is the Mac desktop app.

What file format does Drummer use for outlines?

Drummer uses OPML, and Electric Drummer can read and write OPML files.

Can it publish blogs?

Yes. The Old School content management system builds blogs from outlines and can produce RSS, JSON, and HTML outputs.

Does it support custom blog designs?

Yes. Custom templates can use styles.css, code.js, and index.html.

How are public files created?

You provide an email address and confirm a link sent by email.

Facts from Drummer's own pages

Blog customization: Blog templates can use custom files and OPML attributes, including title, description, header image, and template URLs. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Blog formats: Old School builds an RSS feed, JSONified RSS, JSONified OPML, and a standalone HTML homepage for a Drummer blog. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Blogging: Drummer builds blogs from outlines, and its blogging instructions describe a calendar structure of months, days, and posts. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Blog output: The blogging instructions say the CMS builds an RSS feed, JSONified RSS, a Facebook RSS feed, homepage HTML, and JSONified OPML. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Blog publishing: Drummer builds blogs from outlines using the Old School content management system. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Desktop app: Electric Drummer is an Electron desktop outliner and scripting system for Mac that can read and write local files. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Desktop image upload: Electric Drummer's image uploader requires an Amazon S3 account and a publicly accessible bucket. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Desktop security: The Electric Drummer documentation says the app bundles its required files and does not download code from the internet. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Desktop sign-in: The documentation says users sign in by providing an email address and clicking a confirmation link sent by email. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Glossary: A public glossary outline can substitute terms in text when a blog is rendered. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Link integration: A Radio3 linkblog JSON file can be added to a Drummer blog as a Links tab. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Links integration: A Drummer blog can add a Links tab using a Radio3 linkblog JSON URL in its OPML headers. · docserver.scripting.com, 9 Oct 2026
Maker: The support page links Drummer to documentation and posts by Dave Winer, but the opened pages do not state a maker headquarters or founding date. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
OPML: OPML is the file format for Drummer outlines. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
OPML files: Electric Drummer reads and writes OPML files, which the page describes as an established standard for interoperability with other outliners and RSS readers. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Other platforms: Electric Drummer's first release is for Mac; its documentation says Windows and Linux versions may be possible. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Outliner: Drummer is a hierarchical text editor that organizes notes in outlines. · outlinerhowto.opml.org, 8 Oct 2026
Outliner features: The outliner includes tabs and bookmarks that can point to individual headlines in outlines. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Scripting: Drummer uses JavaScript and a verb set that works with files and apps in the cloud. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Security: Electric Drummer does not download code from the internet; the app's required files are included in its package. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Sign-in: To create public files in Electric Drummer, users sign in with an email address and confirm through an emailed link. · docserver.scripting.com, 8 Oct 2026
Support: Drummer has a public support site where users can post questions, comments, and bug reports as issues. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
What it is: Drummer is a web scripting environment built around outlining and JavaScript. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026

Where Drummer stands on Freedom251

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