The following is a comparison of both software and protocols that are used for federated social networking. __TOC__
Software
Active Project Name Features Software type Programming Language License Privacy features, if any Federation capabilities Instance count Current statusBlueskyMicrobloggingClientTypeScriptMIT (planned)AT Protocol (Personal Data Server, opinionated services) AppViews, multiple Relays, 1640 PDSes diaspora*Status messages, blogging, image sharingClient/serverRubyAGPLv3Post reach can be controlled via "aspects"diaspora* network (January 2025) FriendicaRich 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/serverPHP, JavaScriptAGPLv3Access controls for content, disappearing messages, private groupsActivityPub, DFRN, diaspora* network, Email, RSS, third-party connections (Tumblr, Twitter, more via plugins) (January 2025) LemmySocial newsClient/serverRustAGPLv3 ActivityPub (January 2025) LiberviaMicroblogging, group microblogging, file sharing, games, XMPP clientClient/serverPython, C++AGPLv3Presence authorization, XMPP groupsXMPP, ActivityPub in beta .Demo MastodonMicrobloggingClient/serverRuby, JavaScriptAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (January 2025) Micro.blogMicrobloggingClientAccess controls for contentActivityPub, AT Protocol (Bluesky crossposting) MindsMicrobloggingClient/serverPHPAGPLv3 ActivityPub MisskeyMicrobloggingClient/serverTypeScriptAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (January 2025) MobilizonEvents, groups, shared foldersClient/serverElixirAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (January 2025) MovimXMPP client, news aggregationClient/serverPHPAGPLv3Access controls for content, end-to-end encryption for chatsXMPP (January 2025) PeerTubeVideo sharingClient/serverTypeScriptAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (January 2025) PixelfedImage sharing, similar to InstagramClient/serverPHPAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (January 2025) PleromaInstant messaging, microbloggingClient/serverElixirAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (January 2025)
Inactive Project Name Features Software type Programming Language License Privacy features, if any Federation capabilities Current statusGNU socialPrimarily microblogging, groupsClient/serverPHPAGPLv3Access controls for contentActivityPub (via plugin), OStatusStable, last update to both supported major versions circa 2022Kunereal-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, usabilityClient/serverJavaAGPLv3Access controls for contentXMPP, Wave Federation ProtocolStable, last updated 2017pump.ioMicrobloggingClient/serverNode.js, JavaScriptApache 2.0Access controls for contentActivityPumpStable, inactive
Protocols
Active Project Name Features License Privacy features, if any Supported apps Instance count Current statusActivityPubActivity Streams, WebFingerReleased as a W3C standardInbox/outbox access controlsMany>42,000 ActivityPumpActivity Streams, WebFingerAGPLv3Inbox/outbox access controlsPump.io , network still onlineAT ProtocolModular, microservice-oriented protocol architectureDual (MIT, Apache 2.0) (planned)Bluesky~2.4k data servers, few servers for other parts of the protocol (January 2025) diaspora* networkStatus messages, blogging, photo sharingAGPLv3Post reach can be controlled via "aspects"diaspora* (social network)61 (January 2025) FOAFUser relationshipsCC BY 1.0 NostrExtensible, based on event objectsPublic domain ManyHundreds of relays , stableOStatusOAuth 2, WebFinger, PubSubHubbub, SalmonAGPLv3 GNU social, StatusNetLess than 100 , network still onlineTwisterPeer-to-peer microbloggingMIT and BSDEnd-to-end encryption for private messagesTwister , network still onlineXMPPMicrobloggingAccess controls, presence authorization, encryptionManyMany , stable
Inactive Project Name Features License Privacy features, if any Current statusDistributed Social Networking ProtocolDSNPd (server daemon), ChoiceSocial (web interface)beta (v0.6)Mr. PrivacyEmail social network Private messagingDeadOpenAutonomyMicro-blogging, RSS aggregation, Cloud storageMITTrusted user list and fine-grained trusted sub-groupsstable (r210) (updated: 2015)OpenMicroBloggingMicrobloggingAGPLv3 DeadSecure Scuttlebuttsocial networking, messaging, games, development toolsVarious FLOSS licensesEnd-to-end encryption for private messages.StableSONICFederation protocol for OSN servicesMITbeta (updated: 2018) __TOC__
See also Comparison of instant messaging protocols
References
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