Features

Platform: PHP/MySQL/Apache

License: MIT

Cost: FREE

System

• Decentralised architecture with no central authority or ownership

• Relationships can be made across any compatible system, creating a network of internet scale made up of smaller sites

• Language selector (or automatic detection) with a growing list of supported translations

• Administration interface with access to site settings, plugin administration, log files, member management

• Community page provides recent public posts from across the site (respects all privacy controls)

• Member directory (respects all privacy controls)

• Site content search with boolean capability (respects all privacy controls)

• Extensible via third-party plugin modules and themes. A growing number of both are currently available.

• Easy upgrades. Database schema is automatically brought up to date.

• Message queuing and redelivery for reliable communications which are immune to brief network outages

• Supports 'Apps' which are third-party plugin applications such as games or utilities

• Built-in Help and Documentation

Privacy

• Server-to-server military grade message encryption (on supported networks)

• All items controlled by access lists (individuals and groups - allow and deny)

• Private conversation groups - on these pages all communications are restricted to group members - similar to Google+ "circles" or Diaspora "aspects"

• Visual group editor to manage the members of private conversation groups

• Individuals may belong to more than one group

• Network 'email' - provides 'one-to-one' private messaging to any Friendica or Diaspora member, even those on different sites

• Anonymous profile viewing (any of your content and/or profile information) can be disabled

• Publishing your profile to network directories (site and global) is individually controllable

• Private profiles with controlled visibility. You can maintain completely different personality profiles visible only to specific people.

• Optionally "expire" old content after a certain period of time. The content is also removed from all other Friendica servers which might be holding a copy

• Location and other private information embedded in uploaded photos from cell phones is stripped

• Download your personal data. It all belongs to you.

Status Updates

• "Unlimited" length - many sites will allow up to 200k characters per post.

• Rich text supported - bold, italics, colour, size, tables, more

• Media support includes audio, video, embeds, links, Youtube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, uploaded photos, file attachments, more

• Optional location/geotagging of posts using a default location or use browser tracking

• Edit your posts after they have been published

• Common tag formats supported including @mentions and #tags

• Code blocks are provided for computer-related communications

• Likes, and dislikes

• Commenting

• Sharing of posts (those which are not private)

• Multiple deletion (delete all selected items)

• Seamless wall-to-wall posts and remote comments, even across different network nodes

• Notes to self - maintain your own private notebook

Events

• Birthday notifications - timezone corrected so that if you are in Phoenix and I am in Perth you won't get the birthday greeting on the wrong day.

• Personal and shared events with calendar.

Photos

• Photo Albums - with full privacy support

• Supports photo tagging

• Private photo album viewing allowed across network nodes

Profiles

• A default public profile is provided - which may be restricted

• Multiple profiles may be created, each uniquely configured for the intended audience

• Existing profiles may be cloned to create similar profiles which only differ in minor details

• Visual editor allows you to select which friends can view which profile

• Rich selection of available profile information categories

Federation/Protocols

• Built-in support for OStatus federation (status.net, identi.ca, GNU-social, many others)

• Built-in implementation of Diaspora protocols allows communication with any Diaspora member.

• Email contacts and communications supported (two-way) via IMAP4rev1/ESMTP

• Arbitrary websites and blogs may be imported into your social stream via RSS/Atom feeds

• Oembed embedding support

• OpenID

• Gravatars

• Facebook, Twitter, and Status.Net "post-through" ability using plugin modules

• Facebook contacts and posts may be imported and become an extension of the Friendica network
• Posts can also be shared with WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and Posterous

• OExchange link sharing supported
• PortableContacts provides information about friends between allowed sites using a standards-compliant format.
• OpenSearch provider interface
• Basic Twitter/StatusNet API provides easy access from a growing number of mobile and third party applications (Bitlbee, Choqok, Frentcl, Gwibber, Hotot, IdentiCurse, Pidgin/Purple, Mustard, Pino, TTYtter, and more)

Relationships

• Sites can restrict friendships based on protocol, email addresses, and DNS location

• Fan (one-way) relationships are fully supported

• Community pages can be created for large special interest groups
• Automatic friend suggestions

• Any contact can be blocked completely or quietly "ignored"

• Ability to match people in the directory based on interests

• Suggest/recommend existing friends to other friends

Browsing

• Network page (the combined stream of all your friends' activities) is searchable by keyword and marked items, by group, and by individual.

• Comments and multiple posts are collapsed to the most recent (these may be expanded)

• "View New Items" shows all recent activities in your network in reverse date order

So what are you waiting for?

Download Friendica NOW or join a Friendica site to get started today.