this post was submitted on 01 Sep 2025
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Wait, there are 1600 BlueSky instances to join? Are they counting people using a custom domain name as an entire instance?
I suppose PDS instances are included: https://github.com/bluesky-social/pds
OK so it sounds like there is still just the single BlueSky that is "federated" with a handful of single-user BlueSkies?
Yes. The relevant metric:
99.55% of posts are on a single instance. That is not "federated" in any meaningful sense.
I'm moreso curious if it federated in a literal sense. Is it even possible to participate without using bsky.app's servers?
Seems like it
A PDS still requires BlueSky's servers
Oh, I misunderstood. So you mean federating with their network from other software implementing the AT Protocol? From skimming the docs it looks like it should be possible as long as you implement the correct schemas, but I didn’t dive very deep.
No it doesn't. If other people on bluesky servers want to see your content then obviously it will go through bluesky servers, but if you connect to a 3rd party relay and use a separate appview like zeppelin.social and use DID:Web for account ID then nothing involving the bluesky servers was used and it still behaves like native
Yes, very recently Black Sky launched. Much too late to make any difference.
Where is this from?
PDSes only store user data. These are full instances that can be used to browse the network. The idea is to make your account really yours. Bluesky is hosting most of them. But there are some people who do it on their own.
But bluesky controls much more important components in the network, namely the Relay and AppView.
If Bluesky decides to cut off your PDS you are pretty much alone.
Bluesky is pretty much a centralized platform like Twittler.
Zeppelin.social is 3rd party appview and you can host your own
https://whtwnd.com/bnewbold.net/3lo7a2a4qxg2l
Add using DID:Web and you're now fully self hosted