Our articles provide detailed explanations of fediverse concepts, practical guides for improving your experience, and technical deep-dives for those who want to understand how things work under the hood.
Featured Guides
These comprehensive articles cover the most important topics for understanding and using the fediverse effectively.
What is Mastodon?
A complete introduction to Mastodon: instances, follows, boosts, and how federation works.
What is the Fediverse?
Understanding the broader decentralized social web, ActivityPub, and how platforms connect.
How Algorithmic Timelines Work
Ranking vs chronological feeds, transparency, and the technical foundations of timeline design.
Understanding Timelines
Your timeline is your window into the fediverse. These resources help you understand the different timeline types and how to use them effectively.
Timeline Types
Home Timeline: Posts from accounts you follow. This is your primary, curated view of the fediverse based on your explicit choices.
Local Timeline: Public posts from users on your instance. Useful for community engagement and discovering people on your server.
Federated Timeline: Public posts from all instances your server knows about. A firehose view that can be overwhelming but is useful for discovery.
Lists: Custom timelines you create by grouping specific accounts. Powerful for organizing follows by topic, relationship type, or any criteria you choose.
Filtering and Customization
Most Mastodon clients support some level of timeline customization:
- Keyword filters to hide unwanted content
- Boost/reply visibility toggles
- Media-only or text-only views
- Language filters
Our Plus guide covers more advanced filtering concepts, and the tools guide helps you find clients with the features you need.
Technical Topics
For developers and technically curious users, we offer deeper explorations of how fediverse systems work.
Practical Guides
Getting Started Checklist
- Choose an instance that fits your interests and values
- Set up your profile with a bio and avatar
- Make an introduction post with relevant hashtags
- Follow accounts that interest you
- Explore the local and federated timelines
- Create your first list for organizing follows
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating it like Twitter: The culture and norms are different; take time to observe
- Ignoring content warnings: CWs are a community norm; learn when and how to use them
- Over-relying on the federated timeline: It’s a discovery tool, not your main feed
- Not filling out your profile: Empty profiles get fewer follows
- Cross-posting everything: Original presence works better than automated mirrors
Community and Safety
Understanding community norms and safety tools helps you have a better experience.
- Blocking and muting: Individual-level controls for unwanted interactions
- Instance blocks: Server-level protections your admin may implement
- Reporting: How to flag content that violates instance rules
- Content warnings: Cultural norms around sensitive topics
Frequently Asked Questions
We review and update articles regularly, typically monthly. Each article shows its last update date. Check the changelog for recent changes.
Yes! Reach out through our contact page with suggestions for new guides or improvements to existing content.
We write for general understanding. Where features vary by client, we note it. Our tools guide covers client-specific capabilities.
Most articles are written for general audiences. Technical sections are clearly marked, and the developer notes cater specifically to technical readers.
Browse All Articles
- What is Mastodon?
- What is the Fediverse?
- How Algorithmic Timelines Work
- Developer Notes
- Plus Features
- Best Tools for Mastodon
Latest Articles
How to Host Your Own Mastodon Server: Step-by-Step (2026 Edition)
A complete guide to hosting your own Mastodon instance in 2026, covering setup, infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance.
Scheduling Mastodon Posts: Tools and Tips for 2026
A practical guide to scheduling posts on Mastodon using built-in features and third-party tools in 2026.
Mastering Mastodon Hashtags: The Ultimate Guide to Visibility in 2026
Learn how to use Mastodon hashtags effectively to improve your visibility and discovery in 2026.
Best Mastodon Clients for 2026: Top Apps for Android, iOS, and Desktop
A comprehensive guide to the best Mastodon apps and clients for Android, iOS, and desktop in 2026.
Algorithmic vs. Chronological Feeds: The Debate on Fediverse Timelines
Exploring the ongoing debate between algorithmic and chronological feeds on Mastodon and the fediverse.
Fediscovery and Mastodon Search: Building Better Fediverse Search Engines
How Fediscovery and other projects are solving fediverse search, making it easier to find content and people on Mastodon.
Easier Onboarding on Mastodon: Recommended Servers and 'Packs' Explained
How Mastodon's recommended servers and starter packs are making onboarding simpler for new users in 2026.
Mastodon's 2026 Roadmap: New Features, Creator Tools, and Onboarding
A look at Mastodon's 2026 development roadmap including onboarding improvements, creator tools, and new features.
The Fediverse in Numbers: Latest Stats on Mastodon and Decentralized Social Media (2026)
A data-driven overview of fediverse growth, Mastodon statistics, and decentralized social media trends as of 2026.
Threads Joins the Fediverse: How Instagram's Threads Integrates with Mastodon (2026 Update)
An up-to-date look at how Meta's Threads integrates with Mastodon and the fediverse through ActivityPub in 2026.
Mastodon vs. Bluesky vs. Nostr: Which Decentralized Social Network Fits You in 2026?
A practical comparison of Mastodon, Bluesky, and Nostr to help you choose the decentralized social platform that fits your needs in 2026.
Stay Updated
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