SHSelfHostIndex

Epicyon vs Ktistec

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

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EP Epicyon Minimalist ActivityPub server for the fediverse VS KT Ktistec Single-user ActivityPub server in Crystal
FeatureEpicyonKtistec
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectRead-the-docs project
CategorySocial NetworksSocial Networks
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguagePythonCrystal
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, sourcebinary, source
GitHub stars★ 300★ 436
First released20192020
ReplacesTwitter, MastodonTwitter, Mastodon

What are Epicyon and Ktistec?

Epicyon

Epicyon is a modern, minimalist ActivityPub server designed to be lightweight, accessible, and easy to run on small hardware. It focuses on a no-JavaScript interface and strong moderation controls.

  • No-JavaScript interface
  • Runs on small servers
  • Strong moderation tools
  • Accessible by design

Ktistec

Ktistec is a single-user ActivityPub server written in Crystal, designed to be easy to deploy and maintain. It provides a personal fediverse presence with a simple, self-contained runtime.

  • Single-user design
  • Self-contained runtime
  • SQLite storage
  • ActivityPub federation

Epicyon vs Ktistec: key differences

Epicyon is written in Python, while Ktistec is built with Crystal.

Why pick each one

Choose Epicyon if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • Written in Python
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Epicyon details

Choose Ktistec if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • Written in Crystal
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Ktistec details

Frequently asked questions

Is Epicyon or Ktistec better?

Neither is universally better. Ktistec has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Epicyon and Ktistec free and open-source?

Yes. Epicyon is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Ktistec under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Epicyon and Ktistec with Docker?

Epicyon: check the project docs for container support. Ktistec: check the project docs for container support.

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