Ktistec vs Streams
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Ktistec | Streams |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Crystal | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 436 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon | Facebook, Mastodon |
What are Ktistec and Streams?
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
Streams
Streams is a free, decentralized social communication server that supports nomadic identity, letting accounts move and clone between instances. It federates with the fediverse and offers fine-grained permissions.
- Nomadic identity
- Account cloning across servers
- Fediverse federation
- Granular permissions
Ktistec vs Streams: key differences
Ktistec is written in Crystal, while Streams is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Ktistec versus MIT for Streams. Ktistec is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Streams. Ktistec has the considerably larger community, at 436 GitHub stars versus 100. Streams lists first-class Docker deployment; Ktistec does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Ktistec if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Crystal
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Streams if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Ktistec or Streams better?
Ktistec is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Streams if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Ktistec and Streams free and open-source?
Yes. Ktistec is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Streams under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ktistec and Streams with Docker?
Ktistec: check the project docs for container support. Streams: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Ktistec or Streams?
Ktistec has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Streams. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.