Mastodon is a free and open-source social networking platform that allows users to create customizable communities. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install Mastodon on macOS.
Before installing Mastodon, you need to ensure that you have the following software installed on your macOS.
Once you have installed the prerequisites, you can proceed with installation of Mastodon by following these steps.
Open up a Terminal window and run the following command to clone the Mastodon repository:
$ git clone https://github.com/tootsuite/mastodon.git
Change your current directory to the cloned repository:
$ cd mastodon
Run the following command to install all dependencies using bundler:
$ bundle install --deployment --without development test
Create a new file called .env.production in the mastodon directory and add the following lines to it:
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://mastodon:@localhost:5432/mastodon_production
SECRET_KEY_BASE=$(openssl rand -hex 64)
OTP_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 64)
LOCAL_DOMAIN=your.domain.com
WEBPACK_DEV_SERVER_HOST=localhost
Note: Replace your.domain.com with your own domain name.
Create a new Postgres database for Mastodon:
$ createdb -O mastodon mastodon_production
Run the database migrations:
$ RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rails db:migrate
Compile all assets using the following command:
$ RAILS_ENV=production bin/rails assets:precompile
Finally, start Mastodon with the following command:
$ bin/tootctl start
You have now successfully installed Mastodon on your macOS. You can now begin customizing your Mastodon instance and inviting your friends to join your new social network. Enjoy!
If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!
Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!
