Pixelfed is an open-source, self-hostable photo sharing platform built on Laravel and the ActivityPub protocol, enabling users to share images across the Fediverse like Mastodon, PeerTube, and other decentralized social networks. Unlike centralized platforms, Pixelfed avoids algorithmic curation and advertising, giving users full control over their content and community. It’s designed for photographers, artists, and privacy-conscious individuals who want to share visual content without surveillance or corporate interference. With over a million users across the Fediverse, Pixelfed offers a scalable alternative to Instagram and Flickr for those seeking autonomy and interoperability.
Built with PHP and Laravel, Pixelfed integrates seamlessly with existing Fediverse infrastructure using the ActivityPub standard. It supports rich media posting, user profiles, likes, comments, and cross-platform sharing—allowing your photos to be seen by users on any compatible platform. The project is community-driven, funded by grants from NLnet and Fastly, and licensed under AGPL to ensure true open-source freedom.
What You Get
- ActivityPub Federation - Pixelfed implements the ActivityPub protocol to enable seamless photo sharing across Fediverse platforms like Mastodon, Pleroma, and PeerTube. Users can follow accounts on other platforms and receive their posts, while their own photos appear in timelines across the network.
- Self-hosted deployment - Complete control over your data with Docker, traditional server, or YunoHost installations. No third-party cloud dependencies; host on your own infrastructure using provided Docker Compose or manual setup guides.
- Multi-tenant support - Run a single Pixelfed instance to serve multiple communities or organizations with separate user spaces, custom branding, and moderation tools—all from one codebase.
- Privacy-focused by default - Posts can be set to public, unlisted, or private. No tracking, no ads, and no data mining. Users retain ownership of their photos and metadata without being sold to advertisers.
- Internationalization & localization - Fully translated into over 30 languages via Crowdin, making Pixelfed accessible to global communities with native language interfaces.
Common Use Cases
- Building a community photo gallery for photographers - A photography club hosts its own Pixelfed instance to showcase member work, allowing members to share high-res images with tags and captions while federating to other photographers on Mastodon.
- Creating a privacy-first alternative to Instagram for artists - Independent artists use Pixelfed to share their portfolios without algorithmic suppression or content monetization pressures, maintaining direct connections with followers across the Fediverse.
- Problem: Centralized platforms censor or shadowban visual content → Solution: Pixelfed offers uncensored, federated sharing - A user banned from Instagram for posting nude art can host their own Pixelfed instance and continue sharing with audiences on Mastodon, Friendica, or other Fediverse services without fear of deplatforming.
- DevOps teams managing a decentralized social platform - Sysadmins deploy Pixelfed using Docker Compose on Ubuntu servers, configure PostgreSQL and Redis for scalability, and automate backups with cron jobs—integrating it into existing infrastructure like Nginx and Let’s Encrypt for HTTPS.
Under The Hood
Pixelfed is a federated social media platform built as an ethical, decentralized alternative to centralized image-sharing services like Instagram. It leverages the Laravel framework to deliver a modular and extensible system that supports user-generated content, media processing, and federated communication through the ActivityPub protocol.
Architecture
Pixelfed follows a monolithic architecture pattern with clear separation of concerns and well-defined layers for data, API, and user interaction. The system utilizes Laravel’s service provider pattern and Eloquent models for structured data handling, while command patterns support CLI operations.
- Modular organization with distinct components for media, users, and admin functions
- Strong adherence to SOLID principles and separation of concerns in core modules
- Extensive use of design patterns such as service containers and command handlers
- Clear layering between presentation, business logic, and data access
Tech Stack
Built on PHP with the Laravel framework, Pixelfed integrates modern frontend and backend technologies to support a scalable and maintainable platform.
- Primary tech stack includes PHP, Laravel, Vue.js, and Blade templating engine
- Relies on FFMpeg for media processing and Redis for caching and session management
- Employs Webpack for asset compilation and Docker for containerization
- Comprehensive testing with PHPUnit and integration with CI/CD pipelines
Code Quality
Pixelfed demonstrates a balanced code quality profile with a mix of structured testing and some inconsistencies in style and maintainability.
- Moderate test coverage with support for unit, functional, and integration tests
- Extensive error handling through try/catch blocks and exception management
- Presence of type annotations and well-organized directory structure
- Indicators of technical debt and occasional style inconsistencies in codebase
What Makes It Unique
Pixelfed distinguishes itself through its commitment to decentralization, privacy, and open standards in the social media space.
- Built on the ActivityPub protocol for federated communication and interoperability
- Focused on ethical design principles and user privacy as core features
- Community-driven development with transparent governance and open contribution model
- Designed to be a decentralized alternative to mainstream image-sharing platforms