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What is Mastodon?

Mastodon is the Fediverse alternative to Twitter/X — a place for short posts, quick updates, and conversations.

It feels familiar (timelines, followers, hashtags) but works differently: instead of being owned by one company, Mastodon is made up of thousands of independent communities (servers) that are all connected.

🐘 What’s the point of Mastodon?

Mastodon is designed for:
- Conversations — posting short messages, replying, and building discussions.
- Community — servers often form around shared interests, regions, or values.
- News & updates — many journalists, researchers, and artists now use Mastodon to share their work.

In short: Mastodon is a great alternative to Twitter/X if you want the social connection without the noise, ads, or algorithmic manipulation.

✨ What makes Mastodon special?

  • Chronological feeds → You see posts in order, not what an algorithm wants.
  • Community choice → You pick a server with rules and culture that fit you.
  • No ads, no tracking → Most servers are run by nonprofits, hobbyists, or co-ops.
  • Federation → You can follow people across the entire Fediverse, not just Mastodon.

👥 Who runs Mastodon?

Nobody “owns” Mastodon as a whole.
Each server is run by an independent admin or community. Some are small and cozy; others are large and global.

The Mastodon software itself is open-source, developed by a non-profit called Mastodon gGmbH, funded by donations and community support.

This means:
- No shareholders to satisfy.
- No forced ads.
- No selling your data.

🚪 How do I join Mastodon?

Joining Mastodon is like choosing an email provider: you pick a server (like choosing @gmail.com vs. @proton.me), but you can still follow and talk to anyone across the network.

👉 The easiest way to start is here: joinmastodon.org

There’s also a handy directory: instances.social — where you can filter by language, topic, and community size.

Here are some of the well-known, general-purpose servers you can join today:

👉 Don’t stress too much about picking the “perfect” one. You can always move your account to another server later and keep your followers.

📱 How do I use Mastodon?

  • Use it like Twitter: short posts, hashtags, follows, and boosts (retweets).
  • Mobile apps: Mastodon official app, Tusky (Android), Ice Cubes (iOS).
  • Web: log in directly via your chosen server.

🎯 Why it’s worth trying

Mastodon may feel quieter than Twitter/X — and that’s a feature, not a bug.
- You’ll find conversations without the chaos.
- You’ll meet people who want to be there.
- You’ll rediscover what social media can feel like when it’s not built for ads.

📚 Additional Sources