English
snac2 Hosting
snac2 is a compact ActivityPub server, written in portable C, that serves Fediverse profiles from one data directory behind HTTPS.
- One click deploy
- 15 GB Disk Space Needed
- 1 GB RAM Memory needed
- From 2 € Price
No setup fees
Official links
snac2’s official links and original website
- More
snac2 Website
What you get
on AvaHost
One-click deployment, a custom domain, free HTTPS, automatic application updates, and scheduled backups come with every Cloud App. You can run multiple apps on one server, and terminal access is included.
This template does not include a database container.
Tech
- Default port
- 0
How snac2 works
snac2 is grunfink's Fediverse daemon. The program is portable C and links against OpenSSL and curl. Accounts, posts, and follow state sit in a directory that stays with the instance, so this baseline does not add PostgreSQL or MariaDB. Other servers reach it over ActivityPub. People reach it through the web UI or through clients that speak the optional Mastodon-compatible API added in the 2.27 line. That API can be left out of a build when you do not want it.
Upstream expects an HTTPS reverse proxy in front of the daemon. The proxy must pass the Host header and the WebFinger path, because remote servers discover accounts from those URLs. snac2 can listen as its own HTTP service or through FastCGI. The Docker compose file in the Codeberg tree is documented for a local test: it builds an image, binds port 8001, and adds an nginx container. AvaHost does not treat that compose file as a published production registry tag.
Key snac2 features
A snac2 instance can host more than one account under one hostname, each with its own Fediverse handle. Media and post data remain in the instance directory. The daemon is small compared with a flagship social server, which is why the hosted baseline stays on the smallest plan. You still choose who may sign up, which follows to accept, and how the public profile looks.
Automatic application updates and scheduled backups are AvaHost platform functions around that directory. They do not replace reading upstream notes when a release changes WebFinger, the client API, or the on-disk layout. Keep a copy of any proxy rules you added, because snac2 does not store your edge configuration inside its own data directory.
snac2 vs Mastodon
snac2
snac2 suits operators who want a small ActivityPub server and can live without Mastodon's full client catalogue, large-scale live feeds, or its bundled services. Mastodon may suit you when you want that flagship multi-user product, its mobile apps as a first target, and a wider operations surface.
Mastodon
The two servers are not drop-in copies of each other. Client coverage, moderation tools, and hardware demand differ. Choose snac2 when a directory-backed C server matches the community you actually run.
Who uses snac2
People who want a personal or small-group Fediverse presence without standing up a heavy social suite use snac2. So do operators who already understand reverse proxies and WebFinger and prefer a single data directory. It is a weak fit if you need flagship-only features the optional API does not cover, or if you expect one 1 GB plan to absorb a large public community.
Self-hosting snac2: requirements and cost
The upstream daemon itself is light. This AvaHost baseline sets aside 512 MB of RAM and a quarter of a CPU core, with no separate database container. Disk use grows with posts and media you keep. On AvaHost the recommended minimum for snac2 is Plan 1 at €2. The package includes one-click deployment, a hostname you control, automated HTTPS for the web UI, automatic application updates, and backups on a schedule. Application mail is not part of the package. Remote Fediverse delivery still depends on your hostname resolving and on the proxy forwarding WebFinger.
F.A.Q
snac2 on AvaHost is listed from €2 on Plan 1. That baseline covers the C daemon and its data directory, not a separate database service and not a busy public relay. Heavier Fediverse traffic, many local accounts, or extra software beside snac2 can justify a larger plan. Third-party client apps remain outside the hosting price.
Yes. Point DNS for your hostname at the hosted snac2 instance and the platform can attach HTTPS to the browser UI. WebFinger and the Host header still have to reach the daemon, which is how other Fediverse servers find your accounts. You keep control of the DNS zone and of who may register locally.
AvaHost applies snac2 updates automatically and leaves the instance directory attached to the deployment, with backups on a schedule. You should still read upstream notes before a large jump, keep any custom proxy rules, and check login, follows, and outbound delivery after the change. The platform backup is not a substitute for notes you store yourself.
snac2 is a small ActivityPub server, not a full clone of every flagship feature. The Codeberg compose file is a local test build, not a registry image AvaHost pins. Remote delivery fails if WebFinger is blocked or the hostname is wrong. Plan capacity around the community you expect, not around an empty install.