Mastodon

Mastodon is an open source, federated social networking platform designed to provide decentralized, community-controlled social media. It enables users to join or create independent servers (instances) that interoperate seamlessly using the ActivityPub protocol. This federation allows users across different Mastodon servers and other compatible platforms in the Fediverse to follow, share, and interact with each other’s content without relying on a centralized authority. Mastodon’s architecture addresses concerns around data ownership, censorship resistance, and platform control that are common in traditional social networks.

The platform consists of a web application and official mobile apps for Android and iOS, all open source and actively maintained by Mastodon gGmbH, a non-profit organization. Developers and server administrators can deploy their own Mastodon instances using the publicly available codebase, which includes backend, frontend, and API components. The system supports rich media, content moderation tools, and customizable user profiles. Integration with the broader Fediverse ecosystem enables cross-platform social interactions with other ActivityPub-compliant services.

Mastodon stands out by combining decentralization with a user-friendly interface and strong community governance. Unlike centralized social networks, it empowers communities to set their own rules and moderation policies while maintaining interoperability. Its open governance model and transparent development process foster trust and innovation. With over one million users globally and numerous independent servers, Mastodon has become a leading example of decentralized social media. Developers can get started by deploying the open source server from GitHub, exploring the comprehensive documentation, and joining community discussions to contribute or customize their instances.