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Mastodon

File:Mastodon_wordmark_light_2022.svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ27986619· pop 62· linked from 388 articles

free and open-source federated social networking project

AI overview

Mastodon is a free, open-source social media platform where users can share posts and interact with others, similar to Twitter, but designed to be decentralized so that no single company controls it. It matters because it offers an alternative to corporate-run social networks, giving users more privacy and control over their data while allowing different independent servers to communicate with each other.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Official website

Mastodon - Decentralized social media

Learn more about Mastodon, the radically different, free and open-source decentralized social media platform.

joinmastodon.org

Link to the official site · 8,971 chars · not written by Vinony

Source code

Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub where users can follow friends and discover new ones. On Mastodon, users can publish anything they want: links, pictures, text, and video. All Mastodon servers are interoperable as a federated network (users on one server can seamlessly communicate with users from another one, including non-Mastodon software that implements ActivityPub!) Part of the Fediverse. Based on open standards, with no vendor lock-in. - the network goes beyond just Mastodon; anything that implements ActivityPub is part of a broader social network known as the Fediverse. You can follow and interact with users on other servers (including those running different software), and they can follow you back. Media attachments - upload and view images and videos attached to the updates. Videos with no audio track are treated like animated GIFs; normal videos loop continuously. Safety and moderation tools - Mastodon includes private posts, locked accounts, phrase filtering, muting, blocking, and many other features, along with a reporting and moderation system. OAuth2 and a straightforward REST API - Mastodon acts as an OAuth2 provider, and third party apps can use the REST and Streaming APIs. This results in a rich app ecosystem with a variety of choices! Tech stack Ruby on Rails powers the REST API and other web pages. PostgreSQL is the main database. Redis and Sidekiq are used for caching and queueing. Node.js powers the streaming API. React.js and Redux are used for the dynamic parts of the interface. BrowserStack supports testing on real devices and browsers. (This project is tested with BrowserStack) Chromatic provides visual regression testing. (This project is tested with Chromatic) This repository includes deployment configurations for Docker and docker-compose , as well as for other environments like Heroku and Scalingo. For Helm charts, reference the mastodon/chart repository. A standalone installation guide is available in the main documentation. Mastodon is free, open-source software licensed under AGPLv3 . We welcome contributions and help from anyone who wants to improve the project. You should read the overall CONTRIBUTING guide, which covers our development processes. You should also read and understand the CODE OF CONDUCT that enables us to maintain a welcoming and inclusive community. Collaboration begins with mutual respect and understanding. You can learn about setting up a development environment in the DEVELOPMENT documentation.

Excerpt from the source-code README · 5,830 chars · not written by Vinony

Wikidata facts

Instance of
project
Part of
Fediverse
Named after
Mastodon
Country
Germany
Official website
joinmastodon.org
Show 28 more facts
language of work or name
Ukrainian
Mastodon instance URL
mastodon.social
source code repository URL
github.com/mastodon/mastodon
programmed in
Node.js
publication date
2016-10-05
software version identifier
4.5.9
social media followers
814461
inception
2016-03-16
hashtag
joinmastodon
protocol
OStatus
depends on software
Ruby on Rails
build system
webpack
translation contribution URL
crowdin.com/project/mastodon
official server list URL
joinmastodon.org/servers
Commons category
Mastodon (social network)
official blog URL
blog.joinmastodon.org
different from
Mastodon
number of viewers/listeners
358901
official donation page URL
joinmastodon.org/sponsors#donate
service status information URL
joinmastodon.instatus.com
Sources (15)

via Wikidata · CC0

~22 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The mascot of the Mastodon social network Mastodon is a free and open-source software platform for decentralized social networking with microblogging features similar to Twitter. It operates as a federated network of independently managed servers that communicate using the ActivityPub protocol, allowing users to connect across different instances within the Fediverse. Each Mastodon instance establishes its own moderation policies and content guidelines, distinguishing it from centrally controlled social media platforms.

First released in 2016 by Eugen Rochko, Mastodon has positioned itself as an alternative to mainstream social media, particularly for users seeking decentralized, community-driven spaces. The platform has experienced multiple surges in adoption, most notably following the Twitter acquisition by Elon Musk in 2022, as users sought alternatives to Twitter. It is part of a broader shift toward decentralized social networks, including Bluesky and Lemmy.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Mastodon” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (5)