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NodeInfo

Server info for the Fediverse. Standardized metadata about federated servers.

Overview​

NodeInfo is a protocol that standardizes how servers expose metadata about distributed social network installations. It helps users and tools assess server capabilities, usage statistics, and health.

Key Features​

Server Metadata​

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    NodeInfo Response                            │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Software:                                                      │
│  ├── Name: "mastodon"                                          │
│  ├── Version: "4.2.0"                                          │
│  └── Repository: "https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon"        │
│                                                                 │
│  Protocols: ["activitypub"]                                    │
│                                                                 │
│  Usage:                                                         │
│  ├── Users total: 1234                                         │
│  ├── Users active (month): 567                                 │
│  └── Local posts: 45678                                        │
│                                                                 │
│  Open registrations: true                                       │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Discovery​

Well-known endpoint:

GET /.well-known/nodeinfo

Response:

{
  "links": [{
    "rel": "http://nodeinfo.diaspora.software/ns/schema/2.1",
    "href": "https://example.com/nodeinfo/2.1"
  }]
}

Full Response​

{
  "version": "2.1",
  "software": {
    "name": "mastodon",
    "version": "4.2.0",
    "repository": "https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon"
  },
  "protocols": ["activitypub"],
  "services": {
    "inbound": [],
    "outbound": ["atom1.0", "rss2.0"]
  },
  "openRegistrations": true,
  "usage": {
    "users": {
      "total": 1234,
      "activeMonth": 567,
      "activeHalfyear": 890
    },
    "localPosts": 45678
  },
  "metadata": {}
}

Schema Versions​

VersionFeatures
2.0Basic info
2.1Software repository field
2.2Extended metadata

Fields​

FieldDescription
software.nameServer software name
software.versionSoftware version
protocolsSupported protocols
openRegistrationsAccepting new users
usage.users.totalTotal user count
usage.users.activeMonthActive in last month
usage.localPostsPosts from this server
metadataCustom fields

Use Cases​

For Users​

  • Find servers accepting registrations
  • Compare server sizes
  • Check software versions

For Developers​

  • Build server directories
  • Monitor Fediverse health
  • Aggregate statistics

For Admins​

  • Advertise capabilities
  • Show server health
  • Interop verification

Implementations​

Supported by most Fediverse software:

  • Mastodon
  • Pleroma
  • Misskey
  • PeerTube
  • Pixelfed
  • Lemmy

Alternative: NodeInfo2​

Simplified version of NodeInfo with:

  • Fewer required fields
  • Simpler structure
  • Better for minimal implementations

Example Query​

# Discover NodeInfo endpoint
curl https://mastodon.social/.well-known/nodeinfo

# Fetch full info
curl https://mastodon.social/nodeinfo/2.0

See Also​