Best self-hosted communication - social networks and forums

[Social Networking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking_service) and [Forum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum) software.

We track 40 self-hosted communication - social networks and forums projects. The median health score in this category is 64, against 12 projects rated healthy or better and 3 showing little recent activity. The table below is ordered by health score, not popularity — the most starred project in a category is frequently not the best maintained one.

#	Project	Health	Stars	Built with	Last release
1	NodeBB Forum software built for the modern web.	Thriving · 94	15k	Nodejs, Docker	16 Sept 2026
2	Mastodon Federated microblogging server.	Thriving · 93	50k	Ruby	15 Sept 2026
3	Discourse Advanced forum / community solution based on Ruby and JS.	Thriving · 91	48k	Docker	15 Jul 2026
4	Misskey Decentralized app-like microblogging server/SNS for the Fediverse, using the ActivityPub protocol like GNU social and Ma	Thriving · 88	11k	Nodejs, Docker	23 Sept 2026
5	PixelFed Ethical photo sharing platform, powered by ActivityPub federation (alternative to Instagram).	Thriving · 88	7.1k	PHP	22 Sept 2026
6	Loomio Collaborative decision-making tool that makes it easy for anyone to participate in decisions which affect them.	Thriving · 87	2.6k	Docker	23 Sept 2026
7	Friendica Social Communication Server.	Healthy · 81	1.7k	PHP	21 May 2026
8	Answer Knowledge-based community software. You can use it to quickly build your Q&A community for product technical support, cu	Healthy · 77	16k	Docker, Go	23 Sept 2026
9	qpixel Q&A-based community knowledge-sharing software.	Healthy · 76	441	Ruby	12 Sept 2026
10	remark42 Lightweight and simple comment engine, which doesn't spy on users. It can be embedded into blogs, articles or any other	Healthy · 72	5.6k	Docker, Go	14 Sept 2026
11	Simple Machines Forum Free, professional grade software package that allows you to set up your own online community within minutes.	Healthy · 70	749	PHP	8 Mar 2026
12	Lemmy Link aggregator for the fediverse (alternative to Reddit).	Healthy · 68	15k	Docker, Rust	11 Sept 2026
13	Movim Modern, federated social network based on XMPP, with a fully featured group-chat, subscriptions and microblogging.	Steady · 67	2.1k	PHP, Docker	21 Sept 2026
14	Elgg Powerful open source social networking engine.	Steady · 65	1.7k	PHP	10 Sept 2026
15	HumHub Flexible kit for private social networks.	Steady · 64	6.7k	PHP	22 Sept 2026
16	MyBB Free, extensible forum software package.	Steady · 64	1.2k	PHP	16 Sept 2026
17	Scoold Stack Overflow in a JAR. An enterprise-ready Q&A platform with full-text search, SAML, LDAP integration and social login	Steady · 62	922	Java, Docker	21 Sept 2026
18	phpBB Flat-forum bulletin board software solution that can be used to stay in touch with a group of people or can power your e	Steady · 61	2.1k	PHP	—
19	Flarum Delightfully simple forums. Flarum is the next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun again.	Steady · 60	16k	PHP	27 Aug 2026
20	Misago Fully featured modern forum application that is fast, scalable and responsive.	Steady · 59	2.8k	Docker	19 Jun 2026
21	Artalk Comment system built in Golang, providing a lightweight and highly customizable solution for adding comments to your web	Steady · 59	2.3k	Go, Docker	24 Jul 2026
22	OSSN Social networking software that allows you to make a social networking website and helps your members build social relat	Steady · 58	1.2k	PHP	27 Jul 2026
23	Coral A better commenting experience from Vox Media.	Steady · 57	2k	Docker, Nodejs	7 Jul 2026
24	Habitat A Platform for Local Communities.	Slowing · 51	150	Docker	20 Jul 2026
25	Talkyard Create a community, where your users can suggest ideas and get questions answered. And have friendly open-ended discussi	Slowing · 49	1.8k	Docker, Scala	26 May 2026
26	diaspora* Distributed social networking server.	Slowing · 47	14k	Ruby	7 Apr 2026
27	Isso Lightweight commenting server written in Python and Javascript. It aims to be a drop-in replacement for Disqus.	Slowing · 46	5.3k	Python, Docker	26 Mar 2026
28	BuddyPress Powerful plugin that takes your WordPress.org powered site beyond the blog with social-network features like user profil	Slowing · 39	255	PHP	—
29	Enigma 1/2 BBS Enigma 1/2 is a modern, multi-platform BBS engine with unlimited "callers" and legacy DOS door game support.	Slowing · 36	668	Shell, Docker	—
30	Hatsu Bridge that interacts with Fediverse on behalf of your static site.	At risk · 29	260	Docker, Rust	14 Dec 2025
31	Socialhome Federated and decentralized profile builder and social network engine.	At risk · 25	381	Docker, Python	29 Aug 2018
32	Redlib An alternative private front-end to Reddit, with its origins in Libreddit.	At risk · 21	3.8k	Rust	20 Mar 2025
33	Akkoma Federated microblogging server with Mastodon, GNU social, and ActivityPub compatibility.	Unrated	—	Elixir, Docker	—
34	AsmBB Fast, SQLite-powered forum engine written in ASM.	Unrated	—	Assembly	—
35	GoToSocial ActivityPub federated social network server implementing the Mastodon client API.	Unrated	—	Docker, Go	—
36	Hubzilla Decentralized identity, privacy, publishing, sharing, cloud storage, and communications/social platform.	Unrated	—	PHP	—
37	Iceshrimp.NET Federated microblogging server that communicates over ActivityPub.	Unrated	—	.NET, C#	—
38	PieFed A link aggregator / reddit clone for the fediverse (alternative to Reddit).	Unrated	—	Python, Docker	—
39	Pleroma Federated microblogging server, Mastodon, GNU social, & ActivityPub compatible.	Unrated	—	Elixir	—
40	yarn.social Self-Hosted, Twitter™-like Decentralised micro-logging platform. No ads, no tracking, your content, your data.	Unrated	—	Go	—

Which one should you run?

If you want the safest bet on longevity, NodeBB is the best-maintained project in this category right now at 94/100. Mastodon is the closest runner-up (93/100) — see the side-by-side comparison.

A health score measures whether a project is alive and shipping. It does not measure whether it has the feature you need. Use it to rule options out, then compare on features.