Asklemmy

Let's imagine a field full of lobsters. Each lobster represents a server. Most of the lobsters like to hang around with each other, but some of them don't like certain other lobsters and will refuse to hang out with other lobsters.

Now each of these lobsters have at least one tiny little mite riding on them. These mites want to talk to the mites on the other lobsters, but they are too far away. So, they build a big sign on the back of their lobster that the other mites can see. Since they are on the back of their lobster, they can change what's on the sign or add to it or make a new sign, but the other mites can add to the signs by signaling with semaphore what they want written on the sign. However, the mites on the lobster that their lobster doesn't like are never close enough to send their semaphore signals, so although they can see the sign they can't change or add to it.

Imagine you have a big board on your front lawn where people can come to write stuff and respond to others on the board. This board is an instance.

Your neighbor has their own board, which they have “federated” with yours. Messages from your board can show up on their board, and people there can write on those messages same as ones native to that board.

You can federate with them so their stuff shows on your board, or defederate if you don’t like the people there.

Anyone with the ability to make a board can have one federated with other boards to make a really big web of boards, but to a person looking at your lawn’s board it feels like one big one.

Each home has communities. No matter where your home is, you can access and participate in all communities - from your home and others.

You choose a home to your liking, for example from which country, or moderation policy, or topic themes. You make your account on that home, and then access and join the communities you want to.