You can post relatively brief updates and view a timeline of updates from those you follow. You will also receive notifications when someone replies t

A simple guide to Mastodon

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Style Pass

2022-06-23 20:00:17

You can post relatively brief updates and view a timeline of updates from those you follow. You will also receive notifications when someone replies to you or sends a message.

The language is a bit different on Mastodon. Tweets (280-character limit) are called toots (500-character limit). Retweets are called boosts. Likes are called favorites.

Mastodon is decentralized, which means an endless number of Mastodon instances (also called servers) can exist. You choose which instance to join, much like choosing an email provider, and your instance can communicate with every other instance.

Since Mastodon is not a single corporate-owned silo, you begin by choosing an instance. Mastodon Instances is a nice directory to browse if you haven’t selected one already. Typically, you will select an instance based on your interests and likely tooting habits. Keep in mind, your username will include the instance’s name (e.g., @[email protected]).

Visit the home page of the instance you chose and register. Depending on that server’s rules, you may be able to join immediately, or you may have to wait for administrator approval.