Mastodon is a free, open-source software for running self-hosted social networking services. Created by Eugen Rochko in 2016, Mastodon implements the W3C ActivityPub protocol, allowing it to federate with the rest of the Fediverse — millions of users across thousands of independent servers.
The application is built on Ruby on Rails (backend), Node.js (streaming server), and React (web client), and serves as a flagship example of decentralized, federated social media.
Decentralized, open-source social network. Federated microblogging powered by ActivityPub.
✨ Features
ActivityPub federation. Users on different servers follow and interact seamlessly.
Run your own instance. Set your own rules, your own moderation, your own community.
Chronological timelines. No engagement-bait ranking. You see what you follow, when posted.
Image, video, audio, GIF support. Content warnings, alt text, focal-point cropping.
Mature REST API and streaming API. Third-party clients on every platform imaginable.
