# Pixelfed — Federated Photo Sharing Platform

> A decentralized, self-hosted photo sharing platform that federates via ActivityPub, providing an ethical alternative to centralized image-sharing services.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Pixelfed — Federated Photo Sharing Platform

## Quick Use
```bash
# Clone and set up with Docker
git clone https://github.com/pixelfed/pixelfed.git
cd pixelfed

# Copy environment config
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your domain, database, and mail settings

# Start with Docker Compose
docker compose up -d

# Run initial setup
docker compose exec app php artisan migrate --force
docker compose exec app php artisan storage:link
docker compose exec app php artisan instance:actor
```

## Introduction
Pixelfed is a self-hosted, federated photo sharing platform built on ActivityPub. It provides a familiar image-focused social experience — photo feeds, stories, collections, and direct messages — while giving users and administrators full control over their data. Because it speaks ActivityPub, Pixelfed instances can interact with Mastodon, Pleroma, and other Fediverse platforms.

## What Pixelfed Does
- Hosts photo and video posts with captions, alt text, filters, and collections
- Federates with the Fediverse so users on different instances and platforms can follow each other
- Provides stories, direct messaging, and discover features for community engagement
- Supports multiple image formats and automatic thumbnail generation
- Offers moderation tools including reports, content warnings, and domain blocking

## Architecture Overview
Pixelfed is a Laravel (PHP) application backed by MySQL or PostgreSQL and Redis for caching and queues. Media files are stored locally or on S3-compatible object storage. The ActivityPub implementation handles federation — when a user on another instance follows a Pixelfed account, the two servers exchange signed HTTP messages to sync posts, likes, and comments. A Laravel Horizon queue worker processes background jobs like federation delivery, thumbnail generation, and email notifications.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy with Docker Compose or install on a PHP 8.1+ server with Composer
- Configure database, Redis, mail, and storage driver in the `.env` file
- Set your instance domain and enable federation with `ACTIVITY_PUB=true`
- Use S3-compatible storage (MinIO, Wasabi, AWS S3) for scalable media hosting
- Run the scheduler (`php artisan schedule:run`) and queue worker for background processing

## Key Features
- ActivityPub federation connects your instance to the broader Fediverse
- Photo filters, alt text, and content warnings promote accessible and considerate sharing
- Collections let users curate themed photo galleries
- Import tool supports migrating posts from other platforms
- Admin dashboard provides instance statistics, moderation queue, and configuration

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Mastodon** — microblogging focused on text posts, Pixelfed is purpose-built for photo sharing
- **PeerTube** — federated video platform, complements Pixelfed for different media types
- **Immich** — private photo management and backup, not a social sharing platform
- **Lychee** — self-hosted photo gallery without federation or social features

## FAQ
**Q: Can Mastodon users follow Pixelfed accounts?**
A: Yes. Any ActivityPub-compatible platform can follow Pixelfed accounts and see their posts in the federated timeline.

**Q: What are the server requirements?**
A: A server with 2 CPU cores, 2 GB RAM, and sufficient storage for media. Redis and a database (MySQL or PostgreSQL) are required.

**Q: Does Pixelfed support video?**
A: Yes. Short video uploads are supported with configurable size and duration limits.

**Q: Can I import my photos from Instagram?**
A: Pixelfed has an import feature that accepts data export archives, though format compatibility may vary depending on the export source.

## Sources
- https://github.com/pixelfed/pixelfed
- https://docs.pixelfed.org/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/7466b9f0-3e48-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: AI Open Source