Synapsis

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 for cross-platform communication.
• Decentralized Identity (DIDs): Portable identity system that you truly own.
• 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.

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📖 User Guide

New to Synapsis or the Fediverse? Visit the /guide page in the app for a comprehensive walkthrough on:

• What the Fediverse is and how it works
• How Synapsis differs from platforms like Mastodon
• How to follow users on other servers
• How others can follow you
• Understanding Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and portable identity

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Architecture & Concepts

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

🔐 Decentralized Identity (DIDs)

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

Concept	Description
DID	A unique, cryptographically-generated identifier (did:key:...) assigned to every user. This is your true identity that exists independently of any server.
Handle	A human-readable username (@alice) that points to your DID. Think of it like a domain name pointing to an IP address.
Key Pair	Every account has a public/private key pair. Your private key proves you are you; your public key lets others verify your identity.

Why this matters:

• Ownership: Your identity is cryptographically yours, not controlled by a company.
• Authenticity: Every post is signed with your private key, proving it came from you.
• Future Portability: The foundation for moving your account between nodes without losing followers.

🌐 Federation via ActivityPub

Synapsis is designed as a network of independent Nodes that communicate using the ActivityPub protocol.

• Sovereign Data: Communities run their own Synapsis nodes with their own rules.
• Interconnectivity: A user on Node A can follow and interact with a user on Node B.
• Fediverse Compatibility: Synapsis can communicate with Mastodon, Pleroma, Misskey, and other ActivityPub platforms.

How it works:

1. WebFinger: When you search for @user@other-server.com, WebFinger discovers their profile.
2. Follow Request: Synapsis sends an ActivityPub Follow activity to the remote server.
3. Content Delivery: When they post, it's delivered to your inbox via ActivityPub.

🆚 Synapsis vs. Mastodon

Feature	Mastodon	Synapsis
Identity	Server-bound (@user@server)	DID-based (cryptographic, portable)
Account Migration	Limited (followers don't auto-migrate)	Supported: Full DID-based migration with auto-follow
Cryptographic Signing	HTTP Signatures only	Full post signing with user keys
Protocol	ActivityPub	ActivityPub + DID layer

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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

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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"

# Object Storage (Optional - for media uploads)
STORAGE_ENDPOINT=https://your-s3-endpoint.com
STORAGE_REGION=us-east-1
STORAGE_BUCKET=your-bucket-name
STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY=your-access-key
STORAGE_SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key
STORAGE_PUBLIC_BASE_URL=https://your-public-bucket-url.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;
    }
}

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Updates

To update your node:

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

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License

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