The main entity this text is about is the Distributed Social Networking Protocol (DSNP). DSNP is a set of rules that allows for the creation and management of decentralized social networks. These protocols enable different social networking platforms like Diaspora, Mastodon, and Scuttlebutt to communicate with each other, providing users with a more integrated social networking experience. The DSNP also uses secure methods to protect users’ information. It interacts with open formats such as JSON, ActivityStreams, ActivityPub, Webmention, and IndieWeb to structure and exchange data. Application layer protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, XMPP, SMTP, and IMAP are employed to transmit this data over the internet[1]. Therefore, DSNP plays a crucial role in shaping the architecture of distributed social networks.
The Distributed Social Networking Protocol (DSNP) allows everyone to collaborate to create one social network that is decentralized, like email.
It is an open technology that supports private communications in a manner that users of modern social networks have come to expect. The current version of the protocol is 0.6, though the project has been discontinued. The leading author is Adrian Thurston.