diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 683fcaa85..2f7c190e3 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -4,63 +4,91 @@ GoToSocial is an [ActivityPub](https://activitypub.rocks/) social network server, written in Golang. +With GoToSocial, you can keep in touch with your friends, post, read, and share images and articles. All without being tracked or advertised to! +

-GoToSocial provides a lightweight, customizable, and safety-focused entryway into the [Fediverse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse), and is comparable to (but distinct from) existing projects such as [Mastodon](https://joinmastodon.org/), [Pleroma](https://pleroma.social/), [Friendica](https://friendica.net), and [PixelFed](https://pixelfed.org/). - -With GoToSocial, you can keep in touch with your friends, post, read, and share images and articles. All without being tracked or advertised to! - Documentation is at [docs.gotosocial.org](https://docs.gotosocial.org). You can skip straight to the API documentation [here](https://docs.gotosocial.org/en/latest/api/swagger/). ## Table of Contents -- [Features](#features) +- [What is GoToSocial?](#what-is-gotosocial) - [Federation](#federation) - - [Mastodon API compatible](#mastodon-api-compatible) + - [History and Status](#history-and-status) +- [Features](#features) + - [Mastodon API compatibility](#mastodon-api-compatibility) - [Granular post settings](#granular-post-settings) - - [Easy customizability for admins](#easy-customizability-for-admins) + - [Customizability for admins](#customizability-for-admins) - [Easy to run](#easy-to-run) - [Safety + security features](#safety--security-features) - [Various federation modes](#various-federation-modes) - [OIDC integration](#oidc-integration) - - [Wishlist](#wishlist) -- [Design Ethos](#design-ethos) -- [Status](#status) + - [Backend-first design](#backend-first-design) +- [Wishlist](#wishlist) - [Getting Started](#getting-started) - [Contributing](#contributing) - [Contact](#contact) - [Credits](#credits) + - [Libraries](#libraries) - [Image Attribution](#image-attribution) + - [Developers](#developers) + - [Special Thanks](#special-thanks) - [Sponsorship + Funding](#sponsorship--funding) - [License](#license) -## Features +## What is GoToSocial? + +GoToSocial provides a lightweight, customizable, and safety-focused entryway into the [Fediverse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse), and is comparable to (but distinct from) existing projects such as [Mastodon](https://joinmastodon.org/), [Pleroma](https://pleroma.social/), [Friendica](https://friendica.net), and [PixelFed](https://pixelfed.org/). + +If you've ever used something like Twitter or Tumblr (or even Myspace!) GoToSocial will probably feel familiar to you: You can follow people and have followers, you make posts which people can favourite and reply to and share, and you scroll through posts from people you follow using a timeline. You can write long posts or short posts, or just post images, it's up to you. You can also, of course, block people or otherwise limit interactions that you don't want by posting just to your friends. + +**GoToSocial does NOT use algorithms or collect data about you to suggest content or 'improve your experience'**. The timeline is chronological: whatever you see at the top of your timeline is there because it's *just been posted*, not because it's been selected as interesting (or controversial) based on your personal profile. + +GoToSocial is not designed for 'must-follow' influencers with tens of thousands of followers, and it's not designed to be addictive. Your timeline and your experience is shaped by who you follow and how you interact with people, not by metrics of engagement! + +GoToSocial doesn't claim to be *better* than any other application, but it offers something that might better *for you* in particular. ### Federation Because GoToSocial uses [ActivityPub](https://activitypub.rocks/), you can hang out not just with people on your home server, but with people all over the [Fediverse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse), seamlessly. -Federation means that your home server is part of a network of servers all over the world that all communicate using the same protocol. Your data is no longer centralized on the servers of one gigantic corporation, but resides on your own server and is shared -- as you see fit -- across a resilient web of other home servers. +Federation means that your home server is part of a network of servers all over the world that all communicate using the same protocol. Your data is no longer centralized on one company's servers, but resides on your own server and is shared -- as you see fit -- across a resilient web of servers run by other people. -### Mastodon API compatible +This federated approach also means that you aren't beholden to arbitrary rules from some gigantic corporation potentially thousands of miles away. Your server has its own rules and culture; your fellow server residents are your neighbors; you will likely get to know your server admins and moderators, or be an admin yourself. + +GoToSocial advocates for many small, weird, specialist servers where people can feel at home, rather than a few big and generic ones where one person's voice can get lost in the crowd. + +### History and Status + +This project sprang up in 2021 out of a dissatisfaction with the safety + privacy features of other Federated microblogging/social media applications, and a desire to implement something a little different. + +It began as a solo project, and then picked up steam as more developers became interested and jumped on. + +The project is still in prerelease, but is already deployable and very useable, and it federates cleanly with most other Fediverse servers (not yet all). + +For a detailed view on what's implemented and what's not, and progress made towards a first v0.1.0 (beta) release, see [here](./PROGRESS.md). + +## Features + +### Mastodon API compatibility The Mastodon API has become the de-facto standard for client communication with federated servers, so GoToSocial has implemented and extended the API with custom functionality. -This means: full support for modern, beautiful apps like [Tusky](https://tusky.app/) and [Pinafore](https://pinafore.social/). +In short this means full support for modern, beautiful apps like [Tusky](https://tusky.app/) and [Pinafore](https://pinafore.social/). Tusky | Pinafore :-----------------------------------------------------------:|:------------------------------------------------------------------: ![An image of GoToSocial in Tusky](./docs/assets/tusky.png) | ![An image of GoToSocial in Pinafore](./docs/assets/pinafore.png) -If you're used to using Mastodon, you'll find using GoToSocial a breeze. +If you're used to using Mastodon with Tusky or Pinafore, you'll find using GoToSocial a breeze. ### Granular post settings It's important that when you post something, you can choose who sees it. -GoToSocial offers public/unlisted/friends-only/mutuals-only/and direct posts (slide in DMs!). +GoToSocial offers public/unlisted/friends-only/mutuals-only/and direct posts (slide in DMs! -- with consent). It also allows you to customize how people interact with your posts: @@ -69,18 +97,18 @@ It also allows you to customize how people interact with your posts: - 'Likeable' toggle. - 'Replyable' toggle. -### Easy customizability for admins +### Customizability for admins -Lots of [config options](./example/config.yaml), including: +Lots of [config options](./example/config.yaml) for admins to play around with, including: -- Adjustable post length. +- Easily-adjustable post length. - Media upload size settings. ### Easy to run No external dependencies apart from a database (or just use SQLite!). Simply download the binary + assets (or Docker container), and run. -Plays nice with lower-powered machines like Raspberry Pi, old laptops and tiny VPSes. +GoToSocial plays nice with lower-powered machines like Raspberry Pi, old laptops and tiny $5/month VPSes. ### Safety + security features @@ -101,7 +129,15 @@ GoToSocial doesn't apply a one-size-fits-all approach to federation. Who your se GoToSocial supports [OpenID Connect (OIDC)](https://openid.net/connect/) identity providers, meaning you can integrate it with existing user management services like [Auth0](https://auth0.com/), [Gitlab](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/integration/openid_connect_provider.html), etc, or run your own and hook GtS up to that (we recommend [Dex](https://dexidp.io/)). -### Wishlist +### Backend-first design + +Unlike other federated server projects, GoToSocial doesn't include an integrated client front-end (ie., a webapp). + +Instead, like Matrix.org's [Synapse](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse) project, it provides a relatively generic backend server implementation, some beautiful static pages for profiles and posts, and a [well-documented API](https://docs.gotosocial.org/en/latest/api/swagger/). + +On top of this API, web developers are encouraged to build any front-end implementation or mobile application that they wish, whether Tumblr-like, Facebook-like, Twitter-like, or something else entirely. + +## Wishlist These cool things will be implemented if time allows (because we really want them): @@ -114,22 +150,6 @@ These cool things will be implemented if time allows (because we really want the - Gallery - Etc. -## Design Ethos - -One of the key differences between GoToSocial and other federated server projects is that GoToSocial doesn't include an integrated client front-end (ie., a webapp). - -Instead, like Matrix.org's [Synapse](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse) project, it provides only a server implementation, some static pages, and a well-documented API. On top of this API, developers are free to build any front-end implementation or mobile application that they wish. - -Because the server implementation is as generic and flexible/configurable as possible, GoToSocial provides the basis for many different types of social media experience, whether Tumblr-like, Facebook-like, or Twitter-like. - -## Status - -Work began on the project around February 2021, and the project is still in prerelease. - -At this point, GoToSocial is already deployable and very useable, and it federates cleanly with most other Fediverse servers (not yet all). - -For a detailed view on what's implemented and what's not, and progress made towards a first v0.1.0 (beta) release, see [here](./PROGRESS.md). - ## Getting Started Proper documentation for running and maintaining GoToSocial will be forthcoming in the first release. @@ -148,6 +168,8 @@ For bugs and feature requests, please check to see if there's [already an issue] ## Credits +### Libraries + The following libraries and frameworks are used by GoToSocial, with gratitude 💕 - [buckket/go-blurhash](https://github.com/buckket/go-blurhash); used for generating image blurhashes. [GPL-3.0 License](https://spdx.org/licenses/GPL-3.0-only.html). @@ -187,14 +209,36 @@ The following libraries and frameworks are used by GoToSocial, with gratitude Sloth logo made by [Freepik](https://www.freepik.com) from [www.flaticon.com](https://www.flaticon.com/). +### Developers + +In alphabetical order: + +- f0x +- kim +- tobi + +### Special Thanks + +Thanks to everyone who has used GtS, opened an issue, suggested something, given funding, or otherwise encouraged or supported the project! + ## Sponsorship + Funding Currently, this project is funded using Liberapay, to put bread on the table while work continues on it. If you want to sponsor this project, you can do so [here](https://liberapay.com/dumpsterqueer/)! `<3` +**GoToSocial has NO CORPORATE SPONSORS and does not desire corporate sponsorship.** + ## License -GoToSocial is free software, licensed under the [GNU AGPL v3 LICENSE](LICENSE). +![the gnu AGPL logo](https://www.gnu.org/graphics/agplv3-155x51.png) + +GoToSocial is free software, licensed under the [GNU AGPL v3 LICENSE](LICENSE). We encourage forking and changing the code, hacking around with it, and experimenting. + +See [here](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-affero-gpl.html) for the differences between AGPL versus GPL licensing, and [here](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html) for FAQ's about GPL licenses, including the AGPL. + +If you modify the GoToSocial source code, and run that modified code in a way that's accessible over a network, you *must* make your modifications to the source code available following the guidelines of the license: + +> \[I\]f you modify the Program, your modified version must prominently offer all users interacting with it remotely through a computer network (if your version supports such interaction) an opportunity to receive the Corresponding Source of your version by providing access to the Corresponding Source from a network server at no charge, through some standard or customary means of facilitating copying of software. Copyright (C) 2021 the GoToSocial Authors.