Fedify vs Glitch-soc
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Fedify | Glitch-soc |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 81 · Excellent |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,026 | ★ 803 |
| First released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon |
What are Fedify and Glitch-soc?
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
Glitch-soc
Glitch-soc is a community-maintained fork of Mastodon that adds experimental features and customization options ahead of upstream. It federates fully with the rest of the fediverse over ActivityPub.
- Extra customization options
- Experimental features
- Full fediverse federation
- Themeable interface
Fedify vs Glitch-soc: key differences
Fedify is written in TypeScript, while Glitch-soc is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — MIT for Fedify versus AGPL-3.0 for Glitch-soc. Fedify is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Glitch-soc. Glitch-soc is the more established project (first released 2017), while Fedify arrived in 2024. Glitch-soc 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 Glitch-soc if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Ruby
Frequently asked questions
Is Fedify or Glitch-soc better?
Fedify is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Glitch-soc if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Fedify and Glitch-soc free and open-source?
Yes. Fedify is licensed under MIT and Glitch-soc under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fedify and Glitch-soc with Docker?
Fedify: check the project docs for container support. Glitch-soc: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Fedify or Glitch-soc?
Fedify has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Glitch-soc. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.