# GoToSocial

> federated social networking service software

**Wikidata**: [Q115349187](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115349187)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gotosocial

## Summary
GoToSocial is free, federated social networking software designed for the Fediverse, built using the Go programming language. It enables individuals and organizations to host their own decentralized microblogging platforms compatible with the ActivityPub protocol. As part of the broader movement toward distributed social networks, GoToSocial offers an alternative to centralized services like Twitter or Facebook.

## Key Facts
- Instance of: Fediverse server software, free software, distributed social network
- Programming Language: Go
- License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (SPDX identifier Q27017232)
- Protocol: ActivityPub
- Operating System: Unix-like systems
- First Beta Release: Version 0.1.0 released on November 13, 2021
- Funder: NLnet starting October 1, 2022
- Official Website: https://gotosocial.org/
- Source Code Repository: https://codeberg.org/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial (primary), mirrored at GitHub
- Logo: [GoToSocial Logo SVG](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/GoToSocial_logo.svg)

## FAQs
### Q: What is GoToSocial used for?
A: GoToSocial is used to create and manage decentralized social media instances within the Fediverse. It allows users to communicate across different servers using the ActivityPub protocol, supporting features such as posting, following, and messaging.

### Q: Is GoToSocial free to use?
A: Yes, GoToSocial is free software distributed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. Users can freely run, modify, and redistribute it according to the terms of the license.

### Q: How does GoToSocial differ from other Fediverse platforms like Mastodon?
A: While both are part of the Fediverse and support ActivityPub, GoToSocial focuses on being lightweight and easy to deploy, especially for small communities or individual administrators. Its implementation in Go also sets it apart technically from Ruby-based alternatives like Mastodon.

## Why It Matters
GoToSocial plays a significant role in promoting decentralization and user autonomy in online social networking. By offering a self-hosted solution that integrates seamlessly into the Fediverse ecosystem, it empowers users to maintain control over their data while still participating in a global conversation. The project contributes to reducing reliance on large tech monopolies by providing a viable open-source alternative. Additionally, its development model emphasizes privacy, transparency, and community governance—values central to ethical technology practices.

## Notable For
- Being written in Go, distinguishing it from many other Fediverse implementations primarily built in Ruby or Node.js
- Receiving funding through NLnet’s NGI0 Discovery Fund in October 2022
- Hosting its primary codebase on Codeberg, reflecting a commitment to non-corporate infrastructure
- Supporting full federation via ActivityPub since early releases
- Designed specifically for ease-of-use and low resource consumption compared to larger Fediverse projects

## Body
### Overview
GoToSocial is a federated social networking platform implemented in the Go programming language. It supports the ActivityPub protocol, enabling interoperability with other decentralized platforms such as Mastodon, PeerTube, and Pleroma. The software is intended for deployment on Unix-like operating systems and targets individuals or groups looking to establish independent microblogging nodes within the Fediverse.

### Development & Licensing
The project's source code is hosted primarily on Codeberg, though mirrored on GitHub. It is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0, ensuring that any modifications remain open when deployed publicly. This aligns with principles of copyleft and community-driven development.

### Releases and Versions
Initial beta versions began appearing in late 2021:
- **v0.1.0** – Released November 13, 2021
- **v0.2.0** – February 12, 2022
- **v0.3.0** – April 16, 2022  
Subsequent patch versions followed closely, indicating active development during its early stages.

### Funding and Support
In October 2022, the project received financial backing from NLnet as part of the NGI0 Discovery program. This support helped accelerate feature development and improve documentation and accessibility for new adopters.

### Community Engagement
GoToSocial maintains presence across various platforms including Matrix (#gotosocial-space:superseriousbusiness.org) and Lemmy (community: gotosocial@lemm.ee). A Mastodon account (@gotosocial@gts.superseriousbusiness.org) has been active since June 2022, serving as an official communication channel.

### Technical Specifications
- **Language**: Go
- **Protocol**: ActivityPub
- **Operating Systems Supported**: Unix-like environments
- **Packaging Availability**: Available in major Linux distributions including Arch Linux, Alpine Linux, Gentoo, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, and openSUSE

### Documentation and Resources
Comprehensive documentation is available at [docs.gotosocial.org](https://docs.gotosocial.org/), covering installation, configuration, administration, and API usage. Visual assets and related files are archived under the Commons category “GoToSocial.”

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "GoToSocial",
  "description": "federated social networking service software",
  "url": "https://gotosocial.org/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117098595",
    "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:GoToSocial"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Fediverse server software"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/blob/e68b72ddf95314dbec5f059c444ca0e41e5abb7e/LICENSE)
2. [GitHub](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/blob/main/LICENSE)
3. [GitHub](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial)
4. [2021](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.1.0)
5. [2021](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.1.1)
6. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.2.0)
7. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.2.1)
8. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.2.2)
9. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.2.3)
10. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.0)
11. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.1)
12. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.3)
13. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.4)
14. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.5)
15. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.6)
16. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.7)
17. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.3.8)
18. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.4.0)
19. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.5.0)
20. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.5.1)
21. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.5.2)
22. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.6.0-rc1)
23. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.6.0-rc2)
24. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.6.0-rc3)
25. [2022](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.6.0)
26. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.7.0-rc1)
27. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.7.0-rc2)
28. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.7.0-rc3)
29. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.7.0)
30. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.7.1)
31. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.8.0-rc1)
32. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.8.0)
33. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.8.1)
34. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.9.0-rc1)
35. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.9.0-rc2)
36. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.9.0)
37. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.10.0-rc1)
38. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.10.0-rc2)
39. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.10.0-rc3)
40. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.10.0)
41. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.11.0-rc1)
42. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.11.0-rc2)
43. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.11.0-rc3)
44. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.11.0)
45. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.11.1)
46. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.12.0-rc1)
47. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.12.0-rc2)
48. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.12.0)
49. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.12.1)
50. [2023](https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/releases/tag/v0.12.2)