Osada vs Smithereen
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Osada | Smithereen |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20 | ★ 546 |
| First released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Facebook, Twitter | Facebook, VK |
What are Osada and Smithereen?
Osada
Osada is a decentralized social networking server that speaks the ActivityPub protocol while incorporating nomadic identity concepts from the Zot ecosystem. It federates with Mastodon and other fediverse software.
- ActivityPub social server
- Nomadic identity features
- Federates with the fediverse
Smithereen
Smithereen is a federated, ActivityPub-powered social network whose interface is inspired by classic social media layouts. It supports friends, walls, photo albums, and groups across the fediverse.
- Classic social layout
- Friend and wall model
- Photo albums
- Fediverse groups
Osada vs Smithereen: key differences
Osada is written in PHP, while Smithereen is built with Java. Licensing differs — MIT for Osada versus AGPL-3.0 for Smithereen. Osada is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Smithereen. Osada is the more established project (first released 2018), while Smithereen arrived in 2020. Smithereen has the considerably larger community, at 546 GitHub stars versus 20. Smithereen lists first-class Docker deployment; Osada does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Osada if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Smithereen if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Osada or Smithereen better?
Smithereen is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Osada if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Osada and Smithereen free and open-source?
Yes. Osada is licensed under MIT and Smithereen under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Osada and Smithereen with Docker?
Osada: check the project docs for container support. Smithereen: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Osada or Smithereen?
Osada has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Smithereen. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.