Many users are asking about Mastodon server requirements because many people are migrating to this platform after Elon Musk bought Twitter.
Mastodon server requirements
Below we will explain the advantages of running your own Mastodon server and the process you should follow to have one.
Advantages of running your own Mastodon server
- You won’t be subject to someone else’s regulations or whims when using your own voice online. Your rules apply to your server, which is your property. It will continue to exist for as long as you desire.
- On your own server, you won’t be alone. Anyone on any other server is open to being followed, followed, and messaged as if they were on the same server.
- It is entirely up to you whether you want to run a server where anybody can sign up or restrict sign-ups so that you are the only person using it and treat it like a personal (micro)blog.
Mastodon server requirements in detail
In summary, these are the main Mastodon server requirements:
- A domain name
- A VPS
- An e-mail provider
- An object storage provider
A domain name
This is how users on the network will be able to access your server and recognize you and your users.
Any of the limitless number of domain name registrars, including Namecheap and Gandi. carries a yearly fee that varies based on the domain name selected.
A VPS
Something with constant internet access and the ability to run the Mastodon software.
Any one of an unlimited number of hosting companies, including DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Exoscale, and Scaleway, depending on the hardware specs, has a monthly or annual cost.
An e-mail provider
Mastodon needs to send confirmation links and other types of notifications via email, and while operating your own SMTP server is technically doable, doing so with any degree of reliability is far more challenging than merely using a third-party provider.
Any of the countless email hosting companies that provide an SMTP API, such as Mailgun, SparkPost, Postmark, Sendgrid, etc., has a monthly fee based on the number of emails sent.
An object storage provider
Mastodon can store files that you and your users upload on the VPS’s hard drive. However, these drives are typically finite and challenging to upgrade afterward. You can access almost endless metered file storage from an object storage service.
Anything that exposes either an S3-compatible or OpenStack Swift-compatible API, such as Amazon S3, Exoscale, Wasabi, Google Cloud, etc., has a monthly fee dependent on the number of files saved and how frequently they are viewed.
Suppose you’re interested in having someone else handle all the technical details. In that case, there are several dedicated Mastodon hosting providers that take care of many, if not all, of the aforementioned criteria. However, you typically still need to purchase your own domain name. Several of these companies are:
For people who don’t have the time or inclination to install and maintain software, managed hosting options are fantastic. However, having complete control over every component on your own hardware allows for more scalability, performance, and customization options.
In order to get everything you would ordinarily have after following our installation instructions through an interactive setup wizard, Mastodon provides a DigitalOcean 1-Click Install Image that you may upload to a DigitalOcean droplet of your choice.
But that does presuppose a single machine configuration. Mastodon horizontally scales fairly well. Mastodon can be partitioned into many app servers, background workers, Redis backends, and PostgreSQL replicas if your demands require more computing power than a single computer can provide; nevertheless, a one-click installation won’t do.
If you want to do everything yourself, go to the documentation shared by the platform:
Before you leave, don’t forget to check out our best Mastodon server list if you are too lazy to run your own server.
