Comparison of software and protocols for distributed social networking
In-game article clicks load inline without leaving the challenge.
The following is a comparison of both software and protocols that are used for distributed social networking.
Software
Active
| Project Name | Features | Software type | Programming Language | License | Privacy features, if any | Federation capabilities | Instance count | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky | Microblogging | Client | TypeScript | MIT | None (planned) | AT Protocol (Personal Data Server, opinionated services) | 2 AppViews, multiple Relays, 1640 PDSes | Active |
| diaspora* | Status messages, blogging, image sharing | Client/server | Ruby | AGPLv3 | Post reach can be controlled via "aspects" | diaspora* network | 61 (January 2025) | Active |
| Friendica | Rich profiles, networking groups, community/group/celebrity pages, richtext status (not specifically length limited), photo albums, YouTube share, location, like/dislike, multiple profiles w/assignment to specific friends, single sign-on to post directly to friend's profiles on co-operating systems. Communications encryption. Fans and one-way relationships. Local and global directory services. Ability to restrict connection endpoints. | Client/server | PHP, JavaScript | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content, disappearing messages, private groups | ActivityPub, DFRN, diaspora* network, Email, RSS, third-party connections (Tumblr, Twitter, more via plugins) | 345 (January 2025) | Active |
| Hubzilla | Decentralised identity and community platform, blogging, rich social networking, cloud storage and internet-scale access control/privacy | Client/server | PHP, JavaScript | MIT | Access controls for content, private groups | ActivityPub, diaspora* network, Zot | 90 (January 2025) | Active |
| Lemmy | Social news | Client/server | Rust | AGPLv3 | None | ActivityPub | 576 (January 2025) | Active |
| Libervia | Microblogging, group microblogging, file sharing, games, XMPP client | Client/server | Python, C++ | AGPLv3 | Presence authorization, XMPP groups | XMPP, ActivityPub in beta as of 2022[update]. | Demo | Active |
| Mastodon | Microblogging | Client/server | Ruby, JavaScript | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 10156 (January 2025) | Active |
| Micro.blog | Microblogging | Client | Unknown | Proprietary | Access controls for content | ActivityPub, AT Protocol (Bluesky crossposting) | 1 | Active |
| Minds | Microblogging | Client/server | PHP | AGPLv3 | None | ActivityPub | 1 | Active |
| Misskey | Microblogging | Client/server | TypeScript | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 1244 (January 2025) | Active |
| Mobilizon | Events, groups, shared folders | Client/server | Elixir | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 106 (January 2025) | Active |
| Movim | XMPP client, news aggregation | Client/server | PHP | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content, end-to-end encryption for chats | XMPP | 16 (January 2025) | Active |
| PeerTube | Video sharing | Client/server | TypeScript | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 1302 (January 2025) | Active |
| PieFed | Social news | Client/server | Python | AGPLv3 | None | ActivityPub | 14 (May 2025) | Active |
| Pixelfed | Image sharing, similar to Instagram | Client/server | PHP | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 543 (January 2025) | Active |
| Pleroma | Instant messaging, microblogging | Client/server | Elixir | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 1020 (January 2025) | Active |
| Plume | Blogging | Client/server | Rust | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | 41 (January 2025) | Active |
| Socialhome | Microblogging, blogging, home page builder | Client/server | Python, JavaScript | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub, diaspora* | 9 (January 2025) | Active |
| Wafrn | Microblogging, blogging | Client/server | TypeScript | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub,AT Protocol | 8 (July 2025) | Active |
Inactive
| Project Name | Features | Software type | Programming Language | License | Privacy features, if any | Federation capabilities | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNU social | Primarily microblogging, groups | Client/server | PHP | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub (via plugin), OStatus | Stable, last update to both supported major versions circa 2022 |
| Jappix | XMPP client + Microblogging | Client | JavaScript, PHP | AGPLv3 | Presence authorizations | XMPP | Stable, inactive |
| Kune | real-time collaborative edition, XMPP chat, groups, calendar, lists, tasks, blogs, Apache Wave inbox (modern email), wave extensions (gadgets, robots), public webpages, profiles, galleries (photos, videos), maps, federation, usability | Client/server | Java | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | XMPP, Wave Federation Protocol | Stable, last updated 2017 |
| Numaverse | Microblogging | Client (peer-to-peer) | Ruby | MIT | Unknown | Ethereum, IPFS | Beta, last updated 2018 |
| OneSocialWeb | Microblogging | Openfire plugin, clients | Java | Apache 2.0 | Presence authorizations, access controls for content | XMPP, XMPP extensions | Alpha |
| OpenMicroBlogger | User-toggleable "apps" to add/remove functionality. RSSCloud and partial OStatus (PubSubHubbub) federation as well as Open Microblogging 0.1. Local follow/unfollow. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr integration. (partial) Twitter API support. Fully Restful design, user interface consumes Rest API. | Client | MIT | Open Microblogging 0.1, RSSCloud, (partial) OStatus (PubSubHubbub) | Open Microblogging 0.1, RSSCloud, (partial) OStatus (PubSubHubbub) | Alpha | |
| Osada | Microblogging | Server | PHP, JavaScript | Access controls for content | Zot/6, ActivityPub | Stable | |
| postActiv | Microblogging | Client/server | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | OStatus, ActivityPub and Zot support proposed but never implemented | homepage and code forge went offline late 2019 | |
| Prismo | Link sharing | Client/server | Ruby | AGPLv3 | Access controls for content | ActivityPub | No commits since May 2019 |
| Project Danube | 1) Sharing personal data with companies/organizations 2) Sharing personal data with "friends" 3) Use of personal data for "personal applications" | OStatus, OAuth 2.0, WebFinger, hCard, Portable Contacts, XRI, XDI, PubSubHubbub, Salmon | Alpha | ||||
| Project Nori | OStatus, OAuth, Portable Contacts, WebFinger, and other open protocols | Alpha | |||||
| pump.io | Microblogging | Client/server | Node.js, JavaScript | Apache 2.0 | Access controls for content | ActivityPump | Stable, inactive |
| SMOB | Microblogging | unmaintained | |||||
| Social-Igniter | friends, places, status, comments, modular apps (messages, blog, cart, media), themes, mobile themes, 3rd party integration (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), editable widgets, | Server | GPL | Webfinger, PubSubHubbub, OpenID, OAuth, Activity Streams | alpha | ||
| SocialRiver | Client/server | GPL AGPL | Private messaging, access controls | OStatus, OpenID, will add support for OAuth | Unmaintained | ||
| SocialZE | Client/server | Access controls for content | OSMP (Open Social Message Protocol) | alpha | |||
| Sone | microblogging, media library, decentralized spam protection | Client/server | Java, JavaScript | GPL | Hyphanet | beta |
Protocols
Active
| Project Name | Features | License | Privacy features, if any | Supported apps | Instance count | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActivityPub | Activity Streams, WebFinger | Released as a W3C standard | Inbox/outbox access controls | Many | ~30,000 | Active |
| ActivityPump | Activity Streams, WebFinger | AGPLv3 | Inbox/outbox access controls | Pump.io | Inactive, network still online | |
| AT Protocol | Modular, microservice-oriented protocol architecture | Dual (MIT, Apache 2.0) | None (planned) | Bluesky | ~2.4k data servers, few servers for other parts of the protocol (January 2025) | Active |
| diaspora* network | Status messages, blogging, photo sharing | AGPLv3 | Post reach can be controlled via "aspects" | diaspora* (social network) | 61 (January 2025) | Active |
| FOAF | User relationships | CC BY 1.0 | None | Active | ||
| Nostr | Extensible, based on event objects | Public domain | None | Many | Hundreds of relays | Active, stable |
| OStatus | OAuth 2, WebFinger, PubSubHubbub, Salmon | AGPLv3 | None | GNU social, StatusNet | Less than 100 | Inactive, network still online |
| Peergos | P2P storage, social network, and application protocol | AGPLv3 | End-to-end encryption for private messages | Peergos | Unknown | Active, stable |
| Twister | Peer-to-peer microblogging | MIT and BSD | End-to-end encryption for private messages | Twister | Unknown | Inactive, network still online |
| twtxt | Microblogging | Varied, based on implementation | None | Text editor | Unknown | Active, stable |
| XMPP | Microblogging | Varied, based on implementation | Access controls, presence authorization, encryption | Many | Many | Active, stable |
Inactive
| Project Name | Features | License | Privacy features, if any | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6d | Blog, media library, addressbook, themeable, private messaging | MIT | Post scopes when transmitting | Alpha |
| Aether | Peer-to-peer, ephemeral, self-governing public communities with auditable and democratic moderation. | AGPLv3 | None | Stable, not updated since 2021 |
| Appleseed (Quicksocial protocol) | Photos, Journals, Messaging, Groups, Privacy controls, Status Updates, Newsfeeds | GPLv2 | Access controls for content | Cancelled |
| Buddycloud | Personal and topic channels, Buddycloud directory, channel search, channel recommender, media server, friend-finder, mobile and email push service, location, messaging | Apache 2.0 | End-to-end encryption for private messages | Stable, last update 2015 |
| Cunity | Friends, Photo Album, Filesharing, Messaging, Pinboard, Newsfeed, Memberlist, Forum, Connecting Cunities | PHP | Peer-to-peer transmission | Beta |
| Diatum | Supports contact and social media apps | Apache 2.0 | no commit since 2021, main repository removed, alpha 0.01 | |
| DiSo Project | WordPress plugins | beta (v0.6) | ||
| Distributed Social Networking Protocol | DSNPd (server daemon), ChoiceSocial (web interface) | beta (v0.6) | ||
| Friend2Friend | Strong encryption, XML for all data exchange, Data is digitally signed | LGPL | Only connected to known users | Alpha |
| Knowee | OpenID Signup, Activity Stream import and export, contact import from Web 2.0 services via XFN and FOAF, automatically updated address book from remote data sources, consolidated profile with RDF/FOAF export, personal SPARQL API | PHP | Dead | |
| Kopal | OpenID, Kopal Connect protocol, Kopal Feed microformat | MIT | alpha | |
| Libertree | Social network | AGPLv3 | None | beta (updated: 2015) |
| Lorea | Profiles, microblogging, streams, groups, plugins, group mailing lists, tasks, calendar, subgroups, tagclouds (lgg, plugins) | GPL | stable (seems dead by 2016-12-28) | |
| Mr. Privacy | Email social network | Private messaging | Dead | |
| Multichan | Anonymous textboard / imageboard network | Public domain | None | paused on 2021-07-01, alpha 1.7 |
| Newebe | one user = one node; microblogging, picture sharing, activity stream | AGPLv3 | alpha (updated: 2016) | |
| NoseRub | Custom protocol | Dead | ||
| OpenAutonomy | Micro-blogging, RSS aggregation, Cloud storage | MIT | Trusted user list and fine-grained trusted sub-groups | stable (r210) (updated: 2015) |
| OpenLink Data Spaces (ODS) | Profile Management, Blogs, Wikis, Address Books, Calendars, Feed Aggregation, Discussion Forums (includes NNTP support), File Servers (WebDAV based Briefcase). | Dual (Commercial and GPL for Open Source Edition) | WebID | stable (updated: 2016) |
| OpenMicroBlogging | Microblogging | AGPLv3 | None | Dead |
| psyced | profiles, chat, microblogging | stable (updated: 2016) | ||
| Safebook | Peer-to-peer Facebook replacement | GPL | Untraceable communications | beta |
| Secure Scuttlebutt | social networking, messaging, games, development tools | Various FLOSS licenses | End-to-end encryption for private messages. | Stable |
| SONIC | Federation protocol for OSN services | MIT | beta (updated: 2018) | |
| Tent | Profiles, Developer-extensible Post and Profile Types, Data Import, Groups, Privacy Controls, Content versioning | MIT (reference implementation) | alpha (0.2) | |
| Thimbl | Microblogging | alpha | ||
| Zot/Zap | social network, microblogging, cloud storage | MIT | stable, repository deleted |