# snacforge snacforge is an independently maintained ActivityPub server derived from [snac](https://codeberg.org/grunfink/snac2). It concentrates on conservative security improvements, carefully bounded changes, and reviewable development. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the upstream project. ## What it provides - ActivityPub federation for public posts, replies, follows, boosts, likes, and private messages - Multiple local users without requiring a database server - A small, JavaScript-free web interface - Mastodon-compatible API support for third-party clients - Configurable moderation, filtering, notifications, and media handling - Portable C code with OpenSSL and libcurl as its principal dependencies - A hardened release build and executable regression checks - Human-reviewed contributions, with LLM assistance disclosed when used ## Documentation The authoritative snacforge manuals are maintained in this repository: - [`doc/snac.1`](doc/snac.1) — user commands and web-interface behaviour - [`doc/snac.5`](doc/snac.5) — message formatting and on-disk formats - [`doc/snac.8`](doc/snac.8) — installation and server administration The installed command and manual names remain `snac`, `snac(1)`, `snac(5)`, and `snac(8)` for operational compatibility with existing installations and scripts. Each manual identifies the software as snacforge and notes this compatibility convention. ## Building and installing The code uses the GNU `__attribute__((__cleanup__))` extension supported by GCC, Clang, and Tiny C Compiler. Install OpenSSL and libcurl development files, then build: ```sh make sudo make install ``` Use `make release` for a hardened production binary. On supported ELF toolchains this enables PIE, strong stack protection, FORTIFY, full RELRO, and immediate binding. Run the deterministic regression test with `make check`. `make test` also builds the SMTP test, which requires a local SMTP server and is therefore not run automatically. See [`UPSTREAM.md`](UPSTREAM.md) for the reviewed upstream update procedure. Platform notes: - NetBSD: use `make -f Makefile.NetBSD` and `make -f Makefile.NetBSD install`. - Systems requiring POSIX realtime linkage: use `make LDFLAGS=-lrt`. - Systems without shared-memory functions: use `make CFLAGS=-DWITHOUT_SHM`. - To omit the Mastodon API: use `make CFLAGS=-DNO_MASTODON_API`. - Linux Landlock support is opt-in with `make CFLAGS=-DWITH_LINUX_SANDBOX` and requires Linux 5.13 or newer. After initialising an instance, copy a desired translation from `po/` into the instance's `lang/` directory. Deployment, proxy, configuration, migration, and maintenance details are in `snac(8)`. ## Docker development environment The supplied Compose setup runs snacforge behind an nginx HTTPS frontend: ```sh docker-compose build && docker-compose up ``` It stores disposable development data under `data/`, creates a `testuser`, and generates a fresh self-signed certificate at container startup. Do not use that setup or its credentials as a production deployment. ## Project links - Source: - Security policy: [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md) - Contribution policy: [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](CONTRIBUTING.md) - Release history: [`CHANGELOG.md`](CHANGELOG.md) - Upstream project: Third-party deployment guides and CSS themes written for snac may remain useful because snacforge preserves its command, data, and web-theme interfaces, but they are not maintained or endorsed by this project. ## Licence and credits snacforge is distributed under the MIT licence; see [`LICENSE`](LICENSE). The fork retains the upstream copyright notices and credits required by that licence. Fork-specific changes are documented in the Git history and `CHANGELOG.md`.