Build Decentralized, Federated, Social Apps from Top Open Source Fediverse Applications

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by Ashok Balasubramanian dot icon Updated: Mar 13, 2023

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This kandi kit on Fediverse applications helps you build federated social applications like Twitter. LinkedIn, Good Reads, Instagram, Reddit, and many more alternatives based on the ActivityPub protocol. You can use these popular open source libraries, such as Mastodon, PeerTube, WriteFreely, Plume, Owncast, Pixelfed, Misskey, BookWyrm, and others, to build your applications across micro, macro blogging, writing, reviews, podcasts, link aggregators, and professional networks.


A federated social network is a type of social network comprising multiple different providers or platforms. Instead of being controlled by a single company or organization, it is decentralized and distributed across these different providers. It enables interoperability among multiple social networks in a transparent way. The focus is on data exchange, and different networks adopt one unified data architecture so that a robust, heterogeneous network-of-networks can emerge.


Federated social networks solve issues commonly found in traditional social networking platforms, such as lack of user control and limited diversity in services. By joining a federated social network, you can select from various profile providers or even host your own server. This allows for greater innovation and flexibility. Additionally, profiles on different servers can communicate with each other seamlessly.


A federated social network comprises multiple independent services that communicate with each other using standard protocols. This allows users to interact with friends on different social networks without joining the same one. In other words, users from different social websites can communicate with each other seamlessly.




ActivityPub is a decentralized social networking protocol based on the ActivityPump protocol from Pump.io. It offers a client/server API for managing content and a server-to-server API for delivering notifications and content between federated servers. ActivityPub is recognized as an official standard by the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Social Web Networking Group.


ActivityPub is a protocol that allows different social media platforms to communicate with each other. It does this by providing a standardized way for platforms to create, update and delete content and deliver notifications and content between servers. This means that users on one platform can interact with users on another platform that implements the ActivityPub protocol.


For example, Alice is on a social media platform called “SocialA” and Bob is on another platform called “SocialB”. Both SocialA and SocialB implement the ActivityPub protocol. This means that Alice can follow Bob’s account on SocialB from her account on SocialA. When Bob posts something on SocialB, Alice will see it in her feed on SocialA. Similarly, when Alice likes or comments on Bob’s post from her SocialA account, Bob will see the like or comment on his SocialB account.


This is possible because both platforms use the same standardized communication method through the ActivityPub protocol.


Here are some cool open source applications to build micro, and macro blogging, writing, reviews, podcasts, link aggregators, and professional networks.


mastodonby mastodon

Ruby doticonstar image 42009 doticonVersion:v4.1.2doticon
License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

Your self-hosted, globally interconnected microblogging community

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            mastodonby mastodon

            Ruby doticon star image 42009 doticonVersion:v4.1.2doticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

            Your self-hosted, globally interconnected microblogging community
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                      PeerTubeby Chocobozzz

                      TypeScript doticonstar image 11703 doticonVersion:v5.2.0-rc.1doticon
                      License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                      ActivityPub-federated video streaming platform using P2P directly in your web browser

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                                PeerTubeby Chocobozzz

                                TypeScript doticon star image 11703 doticonVersion:v5.2.0-rc.1doticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                ActivityPub-federated video streaming platform using P2P directly in your web browser
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                                          writefreelyby writefreely

                                          Go doticonstar image 3630 doticonVersion:v0.13.2doticon
                                          License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                          A clean, Markdown-based publishing platform made for writers. Write together and build a community.

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                                                    writefreelyby writefreely

                                                    Go doticon star image 3630 doticonVersion:v0.13.2doticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                    A clean, Markdown-based publishing platform made for writers. Write together and build a community.
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                                                              Plumeby Plume-org

                                                              Rust doticonstar image 1947 doticonVersion:0.7.2doticon
                                                              License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                              Federated blogging application, thanks to ActivityPub (now on https://git.joinplu.me/ — this is just a mirror)

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                                                                        Plumeby Plume-org

                                                                        Rust doticon star image 1947 doticonVersion:0.7.2doticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                        Federated blogging application, thanks to ActivityPub (now on https://git.joinplu.me/ — this is just a mirror)
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                                                                                  owncastby owncast

                                                                                  TypeScript doticonstar image 7457 doticonVersion:v0.1.0doticon
                                                                                  License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                  Take control over your live stream video by running it yourself. Streaming + chat out of the box.

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                                                                                            owncastby owncast

                                                                                            TypeScript doticon star image 7457 doticonVersion:v0.1.0doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                            Take control over your live stream video by running it yourself. Streaming + chat out of the box.
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                                                                                                      pixelfedby pixelfed

                                                                                                      PHP doticonstar image 4811 doticonVersion:v0.11.8doticon
                                                                                                      License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                      Photo Sharing. For Everyone.

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                                                                                                                pixelfedby pixelfed

                                                                                                                PHP doticon star image 4811 doticonVersion:v0.11.8doticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                Photo Sharing. For Everyone.
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                                                                                                                          misskeyby misskey-dev

                                                                                                                          TypeScript doticonstar image 6545 doticonVersion:13.13.2doticon
                                                                                                                          License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                          🌎 An interplanetary microblogging platform 🚀

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                                                                                                                                    misskeyby misskey-dev

                                                                                                                                    TypeScript doticon star image 6545 doticonVersion:13.13.2doticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                                    🌎 An interplanetary microblogging platform 🚀
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                                                                                                                                              epicyonby bashrc2

                                                                                                                                              Python doticonstar image 37 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                              License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                                              ActivityPub server without Javascript, designed for simplicity and accessibility. Includes calendar, news and sharing economy features to empower your federated community.

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                                                                                                                                                        epicyonby bashrc2

                                                                                                                                                        Python doticon star image 37 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                                                        ActivityPub server without Javascript, designed for simplicity and accessibility. Includes calendar, news and sharing economy features to empower your federated community.
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                                                                                                                                                                  socialhomeby jaywink

                                                                                                                                                                  Python doticonstar image 333 doticonVersion:v0.9.3doticon
                                                                                                                                                                  License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                  A federated social home

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                                                                                                                                                                            socialhomeby jaywink

                                                                                                                                                                            Python doticon star image 333 doticonVersion:v0.9.3doticon License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                            A federated social home
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                                                                                                                                                                                      bookwyrmby bookwyrm-social

                                                                                                                                                                                      Python doticonstar image 1659 doticonVersion:v0.6.3doticon
                                                                                                                                                                                      License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                                      Social reading and reviewing, decentralized with ActivityPub

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                                                                                                                                                                                                bookwyrmby bookwyrm-social

                                                                                                                                                                                                Python doticon star image 1659 doticonVersion:v0.6.3doticon License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                                                Social reading and reviewing, decentralized with ActivityPub
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                                                                                                                                                                                                          pubgateby autogestion

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Python doticonstar image 99 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                                          License: Permissive (BSD-3-Clause)

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Lightweight ActivityPub federator

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                    pubgateby autogestion

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Python doticon star image 99 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (BSD-3-Clause)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Lightweight ActivityPub federator
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                              go-littrby mariusor

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Go doticonstar image 242 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Link aggregator inspired by (old)reddit using ActivityPub federation.

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        go-littrby mariusor

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Go doticon star image 242 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Link aggregator inspired by (old)reddit using ActivityPub federation.
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  dockerby friendica

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Shell doticonstar image 37 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Docker image for Friendica

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            dockerby friendica

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Shell doticon star image 37 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Strong Copyleft (AGPL-3.0)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Docker image for Friendica
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      reel2bitsby reel2bits

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Python doticonstar image 162 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Self-hosted Soundtracks and Podcasts sharing, with ActivityPub federation.

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                reel2bitsby reel2bits

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Python doticon star image 162 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Self-hosted Soundtracks and Podcasts sharing, with ActivityPub federation.
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          moontreeprojectby Faleidel

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          TypeScript doticonstar image 18 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          the moon Tree Project is an open source link aggregator

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    moontreeprojectby Faleidel

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    TypeScript doticon star image 18 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    the moon Tree Project is an open source link aggregator
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              roostby Flockingbird

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Ruby doticonstar image 18 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Proof of Concept for Eventsourced backend

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        roostby Flockingbird

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Ruby doticon star image 18 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Proof of Concept for Eventsourced backend
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