Synapsis is an open-source, federated social network built to serve as global communication infrastructure. It is designed to be lightweight, easy to deploy, and interoperable with the broader fediverse.

Features

Federation Ready: Built with ActivityPub compatibility in mind (WebFinger, NodeInfo).
Identity: Portable identity system backed by user handles.
Modern UI: Clean, responsive interface inspired by Vercel's design system.
Rich Media: Support for image uploads and media galleries.
Moderation: Built-in admin dashboard for user management and content moderation.
Setup Wizard: User-friendly /install flow to get your node running in minutes.
Curated Feeds: Smart feed algorithms to highlight engaging content.

Architecture & Concepts

Synapsis differs from traditional social networks by prioritizing sovereign identity and federated interoperability.

🔐 The ID System

Unlike centralized platforms where your identity is a row in a database owned by a corporation, Synapsis uses a cryptographic identity system:

DIDs (Decentralized Identifiers): Every user is assigned a unique DID (did:key:...) upon registration. This is your true, portable identity that exists independently of any specific server.
Handles: Human-readable names (e.g., @alice) are mapped to DIDs. This allows you to potentially move your account to a different node while keeping your connections, as the underlying DID remains the same.
Cryptographic Signing: Every post and action is cryptographically signed using your private key, ensuring authenticity and preventing tampering.

🌐 Federation

Synapsis is designed as a network of independent Nodes.

Sovereign Data: Communities can run their own Synapsis node, setting their own moderation rules and data policies.
Interconnectivity: Nodes can talk to each other (via ActivityPub), allowing a user on Node A to follow and interact with a user on Node B.
Shared Protocol: By adhering to open standards (WebFinger, NodeInfo), Synapsis plays nicely with the broader Fediverse.

Tech Stack

Framework: Next.js 15+ (App Router)
Database: PostgreSQL (via Neon / Drizzle ORM)
Styling: Tailwind CSS v4 & custom Vercel-like design system
Authentication: Auth.js (NextAuth)
Type Safety: TypeScript

Installation & Setup

You can run Synapsis locally for development or deploy it to a VPS for production.

Prerequisites

Node.js 18+
PostgreSQL database (e.g., Neon or self-hosted)
Domain name (for production)

1. Clone & Install

git clone https://github.com/cyph3rasi/Synapsis.git
cd Synapsis
npm install

2. Configure Environment

Copy the example configuration:

cp .env.example .env

Edit .env with your credentials:

# Database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@host/dbname..."

# Auth (Generate with: openssl rand -base64 33)
AUTH_SECRET="your-secret-key"

# Node Info
NEXT_PUBLIC_NODE_DOMAIN="localhost:3000" # Use your domain for production
NEXT_PUBLIC_NODE_NAME="My Synapsis Node"

# Admin Access
ADMIN_EMAILS="admin@example.com"

3. Initialize Database

npm run db:push

4. Run the Application

For Local Development:

npm run dev
# Visit http://localhost:3000

For Production (VPS): We recommend using PM2 to run the app in the background.

# Build the project
npm run build

# Install PM2
sudo npm install -g pm2

# Start the app
pm2 start npm --name "synapsis" -- start
pm2 save
pm2 startup

5. Production Reverse Proxy (Optional)

For production, use Nginx to handle SSL and forward traffic to port 3000.

server {
    server_name your-domain.com;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
    }
}

Updates

To update your node:

git pull origin main
npm install
npm run build
pm2 restart synapsis

License

Licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. See LICENSE for details.