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Self-Hosting GoToSocial: Lightweight Fediverse Server

GoToSocial is a lightweight ActivityPub server. Run your own Fediverse instance without the resource demands of Mastodon.

gotosocialfediversesocialactivitypub

What Is GoToSocial?


GoToSocial is a lightweight ActivityPub server. It implements the same protocol as Mastodon but uses a fraction of the resources.


GoToSocial vs Mastodon


  • GoToSocial: ~50 MB RAM, Go binary, SQLite
  • Mastodon: 2+ GB RAM, Ruby + Node.js, PostgreSQL + Redis + Elasticsearch
  • GoToSocial: Designed for single-user or small instances
  • Mastodon: Designed for large communities

    • Features


    Social

  • Posts (with Markdown support)
  • Replies, boosts, favorites
  • Media attachments
  • Content warnings
  • Polls
  • Hashtags
  • Custom emoji

    • Federation

  • Full ActivityPub compatibility
  • Follow/interact with Mastodon, Pleroma, Misskey users
  • Block/allow lists for instances
  • Signed fetches for security

    • Privacy

  • Post visibility (public, unlisted, followers, direct)
  • Account privacy settings
  • Instance-level policies

    • Why GoToSocial?


    Running Mastodon for a personal instance is overkill. GoToSocial gives you a full Fediverse presence on a $5/mo VPS.


    Client Apps


    GoToSocial uses the Mastodon API, so Mastodon clients work:

  • Tusky (Android)
  • Ivory, Ice Cubes (iOS)
  • Elk, Phanpy (web)
  • Pinafore (web)

    • Deployment


    1. Deploy GoToSocial on TinyPod

    2. Create your account

    3. Connect a Mastodon-compatible client

    4. Start posting


    Resources: 1 CPU, 128 MB RAM with SQLite.


    GoToSocial is perfect for personal Fediverse instances. Full federation, minimal resources.