Fedify vs Ktistec
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Fedify | Ktistec |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 79 · Good |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Crystal |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,026 | ★ 436 |
| First released | 2024 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon |
What are Fedify and Ktistec?
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
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
Fedify vs Ktistec: key differences
Fedify is written in TypeScript, while Ktistec is built with Crystal. Licensing differs — MIT for Fedify versus AGPL-3.0 for Ktistec. Ktistec is the more established project (first released 2020), while Fedify arrived in 2024. Fedify has the considerably larger community, at 1,026 GitHub stars versus 436.
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 Ktistec if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Crystal
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Fedify or Ktistec better?
Neither is universally better. Fedify has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Fedify and Ktistec free and open-source?
Yes. Fedify is licensed under MIT and Ktistec under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fedify and Ktistec with Docker?
Fedify: check the project docs for container support. Ktistec: check the project docs for container support.