Software that lets users create and maintain a blog on their own Web servers. Running on all major platforms, blog publishing applications typically provide a selection of templates for the blog's look and feel. They provide an editing form for writing the blog and generally import a variety of document types as well as other blog formats. Options such as a reader feedback dialogue and syndication are also available. For users who are unable to host the blog on their own servers, blog hosting companies handle it all with free and paid alternatives (see
blog service). See
blog and
syndication format.