Idno

Idno is an open-source social publishing platform designed for creating blogs and connecting with others through decentralized web protocols. It functions as a self-hosted server application that allows users to maintain their own content while interacting with a broader network of independent sites. The software focuses on the principles of the IndieWeb, enabling users to own their data while remaining connected to a wider social ecosystem.

The software is written in PHP and requires a supported database backend for installation. It can be deployed via Composer or by cloning the source code from GitHub. To handle network interactions and data propagation, the system utilizes an event queue that can be configured to run either synchronously or asynchronously via a background worker. This architecture ensures that the user interface remains responsive while the server handles complex network tasks in the background.

Key features

• Support for the ActivityPub protocol for decentralized social networking
• Integration of Webmention pings for cross-site notifications
• Asynchronous event queue for background processing of deliveries
• Support for syndication of content to remote servers
• Built-in cron service for periodic background tasks
• Integration with TinyMCE for rich text editing
• Support for Microformats 2 parsing
• Ability to manage follow-accept delivery and post distribution

Idno is built using PHP 8.3+ and incorporates several third-party libraries, including components from Symfony for event dispatching, HTTP foundations, and console management. The architecture relies on a dedicated worker process to ensure that ActivityPub activities, such as update or delete propagation, are delivered to remote inboxes without slowing down the primary web request. This worker can be managed through a systemd service unit for permanent operation or via cron for shared hosting environments. The system also includes a periodic cron service to handle hourly and daily background events.

Idno is positioned as a tool for individuals and communities seeking a decentralized approach to blogging and social interaction.