Distributed social network

A distributed social network is an Internet social network service that is decentralized and distributed across different providers. The emphasis of the distribution is on portabilitya[›], interoperability and federation capability. It contrasts with social network aggregation services, which are used to manage accounts and activities across multiple discrete social networks.

Open standards such as OAuth authorization, OpenID authentication, OStatus federation, XRD metadata discovery, the Portable Contacts protocol, the Wave Federation Protocol, OpenSocial widget APIs, microformats like XFN and hCard, and Atom web feeds—increasingly referred to together as the Open Stack—are often cited as enabling technologies for distributed social networking.[1]

A few social networking service providers have used the term more broadly to describe provider-specific services that are distributable across different websites, typically through added widgets or plug-ins. Through the add-ons, the social network functionality is implemented on users' websites.

Contents

Comparison of projects

The protocols of these projects are generally open and free. The software of the projects is generally free and open source.

Project Name Features Software Programming Language License Protocols Privacy Support Federation (with other applications or services) Instances Version/Maturity
6d[2] Blog, media library, addressbook, themeable, private messaging server[3] PHP MIT HTTP + REST, microformats[4] Addressbook to send posts to either individuals or groups. not yet demo[5]
5 total		 alpha
Ampify Trust-based search, Public Domain HTTPS, Ampify Messaging Protocol Provides fine grained privacy control through object capability security and transport layer encryption. Application framework, web-hook style sensor network development
Appleseed[6] Photos, Journals, Messaging, Groups, Privacy controls, Status Updates, Newsfeeds server[7] PHP GPLv2 QuickSocial[8] Friend circles used to categorize friends and restrict/allow access Internally, others easily added (plugin architecture) Appleseed[9] Approximately 120 total beta, in use
buddycloud[10][11] Location, messaging, photo/video sharing server,[12] client[13] JavaScript, Java Apache 2.0 XMPP, OStatus, Channel Protocol,[14] Atom, Activity Streams, Location Query[15] Yes in development
Cunity[16][16] Friends, Photo Album, Filesharing, Messaging, Pinboard, Newsfeed, Memberlist, Forum, Connecting Cunities server,[16] client[17] PHP, Javascript, AJAX, JQuery AGPL 3.0 HTTP, P2P Yes Connecting P2P Hosted on your own webspace V1.0beta
Diaspora Microblogging, photo sharing, 'aspects' - friend management server[18] Ruby AGPL 3.0 changing,[19] Salmon[20] Yes, through "aspects" Yes, application framework in alpha Diaspora Alpha[21]
56 'pods' listed on Diaspora Wiki		 alpha
Diaspora X2[22] client[23] using buddycloud for federation XMPP, buddycloud channels,[24] Activity Streams[22] ? ? Diaspora X2[25]
DiSo Project[26] WordPress plugins[27] microformats (XFN, hCard, XOXO), OpenID, OAuth, XMPP[26] ? ?
DSNP[28] DSNPd (server daemon), ChoiceSocial (web interface)[28] Distributed Social Networking Protocol (DSNP)[28][29] ? ? Friends in Feed, ChoiceSocial.net, DistribSocial.net
Duuit! Search, microblogging, email, photos, videos, blogs, webpages, XMPP chat, video chat, collaborative drawing, document creation and editing, feed reader, profiles, files, games, groups, mood, privacy controls, customizable interface GPLv2 FOAF, XMPP, OpenSocial, OAuth push/pull, OStatus (next release), scrobbling, RSS/Atom, opendd, PubSubHubbub, email, IRC Excellent, acl, granular, profile, avatar, content XMPP, OStatus in testing- due in next release beta, in use
Freenet Censorship resistant publishing, anonymity, pseudonymity, WebOfTrust, Forum, Blog, updating bookmarks, anonymous DVCS, third party plugins p2p Java GPL[30] UDP, global darknet DHT on restricted routes (FOAF) or Opennet (anonymizing DHT). Yes No hosted on every users computer stable, but pre 1.0
Friend2Friend[31] Strong encryption, XML for all data exchange, Data is digitally signed LGPL Connect to known individuals. ? alpha
Friendica[32][33] Rich profiles, networking groups, community/group/celebrity pages, richtext status (not specifically length limited), photo albums, YouTube share, location, like/dislike, multiple profiles w/assignment to specific friends, single sign on to post directly to friend's profiles on co-operating systems. Communications encryption. Fans and one-way relationships. Local and global directory services. Ability to restrict connection endpoints. server[34] PHP MIT OStatus components,[35] Diaspora, Facebook, OpenID, DFRN,[36] Zot[37] extensive Friendica, identi.ca/Status.Net, GNU-social, Facebook, Twitter, Diaspora, email, blogs/feeds/Google (via RSS/ATOM), more in development 9 servers accept registration [38] stable/production
GNU Social[39] Server[40] (based on SatusNet) AGPLv3 OStatus[41] ? Yes daisycha.in
Jappix[42] XMPP client + Microblogging server, web client AGPL XMPP Excellent: based on presence authorizations ? demo[43] production
Knowee OpenID Signup, Activity Stream import and export, contact import from Web 2.0 services via XFN and FOAF, automatically updated address book from remote data sources, consolidated profile with RDF/FOAF export, personal SPARQL API W3C OpenID, FOAF ? ? alpha
Kopal[44] OpenID Core, multiple profiles Server[45] MIT OpenID, Kopal Connect protocol,[46] Kopal Feed microformat[47] ? ? alpha
Kune[48] real-time collaborative edition, XMPP chat, groups, lists, tasks, blogs, Apache Wave inbox (modern email), wave extensions (gadgets, robots), public webpages, profiles, galleries (photos, videos), maps, federation server, integrates Apache Wave Java-based GWT (generates AJAX) AGPLv3 XMPP, Wave Federation Protocol Excellent Total federation/interoperability with other Kune installations and Apache Wave accounts. XMPP chat interoperable with other XMPP-compliant demo,[49] 3 in total beta
Lipsync.it[50] Synchronization tool inspired by Dropbox Simplified BSD rsync, lsyncd, OpenSSH Yes planned development
Lorea[51] Profiles, microblogging, streams, groups, plugins, group mailing lists, tasks, calendar, subgroups, tagclouds Elgg,[52] plugins[53] GPL OpenID, Activity Streams, PubSubHubbub, WebID. Working on: OStatus[52] (60% production), XMPP/psyc (50% development), rdf+sparql (10% development) Excellent ? 5: project's group[54] production
Movim XMPP client + Microblogging server and webclient PHP AGPLv3 XMPP not yet not yet development
Mr. Privacy SMTP, IMAP Yes Yes
Newebe[55] one user = one node ; microblogging, picture sharing, activity stream Server / web client Python / Coffeescript AGPL HTTP, REST API development
NoseRub[56] sample server[57] NoseRub protocol / WebID[58] ? ? demo[59]
ObjectCloud customization, flexible hosting, security, application platform SimPL 2.0 OpenID, Particle Yes ? 2 Alpha, active development
OneSocialWeb[60] Microblogging Openfire plugin, clients[61] Java Apache 2 XMPP, XMPP extensions[62] Yes Yes Active developer community, features being added...
OpenLink Data Spaces (ODS)[63] Profile Management, Blogs, Wikis, Address Books, Calendars, Feed Aggregation, Discussion Forums (includes NNTP support), File Servers (WebDAV based Briefcase). Dual (Comercial and GPL for Open Source Edition) WebID, Webfinger, OpenID, OAuth, HTTP, SPARQL, Atom Publishing, PubSubHubbub, Semantic Pingback, OpenSocial, Social Graph API, Portable Contacts, more. WebID and others Yes id.myopenlink.net[64] among others Active use
OpenMicroBlogger User-toggleable "apps" to add/remove functionality. RSSCloud and partial OStatus (PubSubHubbub) federation as well as Open Microblogging 0.1. Local follow/unfollow. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr integration. (partial) Twitter API support. Fully Restful design, user interface consumes Rest API. MIT Open Microblogging 0.1, RSSCloud, (partial) OStatus (PubSubHubbub) Yes Yes alpha
ownCloud Cloudstorage and plugins for Photos, Media, RSS and more AGPLv3 WebDAV, Open Collaboration Services Yes ? ver. 1.0
Project Danube 1) Sharing personal data with companies/organizations
2) Sharing personal data with "friends"
3) Use of personal data for "personal applications"		 TBD, likely Eclipse or Apache OStatus, OAuth 2.0, Webfinger, hCard, Portable Contacts, XRI, XDI, PubSubHubbub, Salmon ? StatusNet and Cliqset, among others development
Project Nori OStatus, OAuth, Portable Contacts, Webfinger, and other open protocols ? Yes early alpha
psyced profiles, chat, microblogging GPLv2
MIT		 PSYC, XMPP, IRC, TELNET, HTTP, Applet, SMTP, WAP, RSS ? ?
Retroshare[65] Private messaging server[66] C++ [GNU] GPG, OpenSSL Production
RSSN private messaging, groups RSSN ? ? concept
Safebook[67] GPL Extensive, including communication untraceability ? demo[68] beta[69]
Salut à Toi[70][71] multi-frontends, microblogging, group microblogging, file sharing, games, XMPP client XMPP client (multi-frontends), web server, SMTP/IMAP server Python, C++ GPL
AGPL(web frontend)		 XMPP through XMPP groups, presence authorisation XMPP native federation demo (outdated)[72] alpha
SMOB microblogging FOAF ? ? production
Social-Igniter[73] friends, places, status, comments, modular apps (messages, blog, cart, media), themes, mobile themes, 3rd party integration (Facebook, Twiter, YouTube), editable widgets, server GPL Webfinger, PubSubHubbub, OpenID, OAuth, Activity Streams Yes Yes 3 Alpha
SocialRiver[74] GPL
AGPL		 OStatus,[75] OpenID, will add support for OAuth Private Messaging, Privacy Controls Yes
SocialZE[76] server, web client OSMP (Open Social Message Protocol) Yes ? Alpha
Socknet Provider- FoolishMortal.org profiles, messaging, enables internet content sharing Socknet, OpenID No Yes Beta
Sparkleshare[77] Collaboration and sharing tool inspired by Dropbox Python GNU GPLv3 SSH Yes, encryption option planned development
StatusNet microblogging Server, Clients[78] PHP AGPLv3 OStatus, OpenID, FOAF, OpenMicroBlogging (deprecated) Available for sites, planned for accounts and posts Yes more than 100, including Identi.ca and Status.net Production (1.0.1)
Thimbl[79] microblogging Finger, SSH ? Planned for future development
Weestit XMPP, HTTP, OStatus, SMTP, POP Yes Planned alpha planned Nov.20 2010

Notes

^ a: See DataPortability article.

External links

References

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  6. ^ The Appleseed Project. "The Appleseed Project - Open Source Social Networking". Opensource.appleseedproject.org. http://opensource.appleseedproject.org. Retrieved 2011-11-15. 
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  76. ^ [4]
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