Fedify vs Friendica
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Friendica
Decentralized social network with broad federation
| Feature | Fedify | Friendica |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,026 | ★ 1,690 |
| First released | 2024 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Facebook, Twitter |
What are Fedify and Friendica?
Fedify
Fedify is a TypeScript framework for building ActivityPub-based federated server applications. It handles the protocol details so developers can create new fediverse software more easily.
- ActivityPub server framework
- Handles federation protocol
- TypeScript and Deno support
- Powers fediverse apps
Friendica
Friendica is a free, open-source decentralized social network. It connects to the fediverse and other networks, offering a Facebook-style experience with groups, photos, and events.
- Federates with many networks
- Groups and forums
- Photo albums and events
- Addon system
Fedify vs Friendica: key differences
Fedify is written in TypeScript, while Friendica is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Fedify versus AGPL-3.0 for Friendica. Fedify is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Friendica. Friendica is the more established project (first released 2010), while Fedify arrived in 2024. Friendica lists first-class Docker deployment; Fedify does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Fedify if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Friendica if…
- Connects to multiple protocols
- Facebook-like experience
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Smaller user base
Frequently asked questions
Is Fedify or Friendica better?
Neither is universally better. Friendica has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Fedify and Friendica free and open-source?
Yes. Fedify is licensed under MIT and Friendica under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fedify and Friendica with Docker?
Fedify: check the project docs for container support. Friendica: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Fedify or Friendica?
Fedify has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Friendica. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.