---
title: Join our geeky, Docker/Kubernetes-flavored Mastdon instance
description: Looking for your geeky niche in the "fediverse"? Join our Mastodon instance, focussed on self-hosting, technical news, supporting full-text search!
icon: fontawesome/brands/mastodon
status: new
---

# Join our geeky / selfhosted Mastodon instance

Mastondon is a self-hosted / open-source microblogging platform (*heavily inspired by Twitter*), which supports federation, rather than centralization. Like email, any user on any Mastodon instance can follow, "toot" (*not tweet!*), and reply to any user on any *other* instance.

![Mastodon Screenshot](/images/mastodon.png){ loading=lazy }

Our community Mastodon server is sooo [FKNY](https://so.fnky.nz/web/directory), but if you're already using Mastodon on another server (*or your [own instance][mastodon]*), you can seamlessly interact with us from there too, thanks to the magic of federation!

!!! question "This is dumb, there's nobody here"

    * Give it time. The first time you get a federated reply from someone on another instance, it just "clicks" (*at least, it did for me*)
    * Follow some folks (I'm [funkypenguin@so.fnky.nz](https://so.fnky.nz/@funkypenguin))
    * Install [mobile client](https://joinmastodon.org/apps)

## How do I Mastodon?

1. If you're a [sponsor][github_sponsor], check the special `#mastodon` channel in [Discord][discord]. You'll find a super-sekrit invite URL which will get you setup *instantly*
2. If you're *not* a sponsor, go to [FNKY](https://so.fnky.nz), and request an invite (*invites must be approved to prevent abuse*) - mention your [Discord][discord] username in the "Why do you want to join?" question.
3. Start tootin'!

## So who do I follow?

That.. is tricky. There's no big-tech algorithm to suggest friends based on previously-collected browsing / tracking data, you'll have to build your "social graph" from the ground up, one "brick" at a time. Start by following [me](https://so.fnky.nz/@funkypenguin). Here are some more helpful links:

* [A self-curated list of accounts, sorted by theme](https://communitywiki.org/trunk)
* [Reddit thread #1](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mastodon/comments/enr4ud/who_to_follow_on_mastodon/)
* [Reddit thread #2](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mastodon/comments/p6vpvq/wanted_positive_mastodon_accounts_to_follow/)
* [Reddit thread #3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mastodon/comments/s0ly2r/new_user_how_do_i_find_people_to_follow/)
* [Reddit thread #4](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mastodon/comments/ublg4q/is_it_possible_to_follow_accounts_from_different/)
* [Masto.host's FAQ on finding people to follow](https://masto.host/finding-people-to-follow-on-mastodon/)

## Code of Conduct

With the goal of creating a safe and inclusive community, we've adopted the [Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/), as described [here](/community/code-of-conduct/). This code of conduct applies to the Mastodon server.

### Reporting abuse

To report a violation of our code of conduct in our Mastodon server, type use Mastodon's "report" function to report a violation, as illustrated below:

![Reporting abuse in Mastodon](/images/mastodon-report-user.png){ loading=lazy }

Moderators will be alerted to your report, who will address the issue as detailed in the [enforcement guidelines](/community/code-of-conduct/#enforcement-guidelines).

--8<-- "common-links.md"
