A free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub for self-hosted, federated microblogging communities.
Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server that enables users to create and join self-hosted, federated communities for microblogging. It is based on the ActivityPub standard, allowing interoperability across different servers and software, forming a decentralized social network known as the Fediverse. Users can publish text, links, images, and videos while following others across the network.
Communities, organizations, and individuals seeking to host their own social networks or participate in a decentralized, open alternative to centralized social media platforms.
Developers choose Mastodon for its open-source nature, adherence to open standards like ActivityPub, and ability to self-host without vendor lock-in, fostering user control, privacy, and a federated ecosystem.
Your self-hosted, globally interconnected microblogging community
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Based on the ActivityPub standard, it enables interoperability across the Fediverse without vendor lock-in, allowing communication with non-Mastodon servers as emphasized in the README.
Updates from followed users appear in real-time in the UI, providing a transparent, algorithm-free experience that avoids manipulation.
Includes private posts, filtering, muting, blocking, and a reporting system, giving administrators fine-grained control over community safety as listed in the features.
Acts as an OAuth2 provider with REST and Streaming APIs, fostering a rich third-party app ecosystem that enhances user choice, as highlighted in the README.
Requires multiple services like Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, Redis, Node.js, and FFmpeg per the tech stack, making deployment and scaling complex and resource-intensive.
The federated design can increase server load and latency due to continuous cross-server synchronization and activity propagation, impacting responsiveness.
Licensed under AGPLv3, which may force derivative works to be open-sourced, potentially complicating commercial adaptations or proprietary integrations.
mastodon is an open-source alternative to the following products:
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