Did you know you can use Mastodon apps with many non-Mastodon accounts too? This is possible thanks to the Mastodon API.
Wait, what the heck is an API?
API is a technical term that stands for “Application Programming Interface”. It basically just means the technical standard by which an app communicates with an online service.
Mastodon has an open API which allows anyone to write Mastodon apps. That’s why there’s such a vast amount of third party apps for Mastodon, as they all get equal access to the platform (official Mastodon apps have no special privileges or advantages). Third party Mastodon apps tend to be better than the official ones, and there are many specialist apps designed for particular niches, which is made possible by keeping the API open to everyone.
So, where do non-Mastodon accounts come in? How can they work with apps designed for Mastodon?
Mastodon is just one type of server on the Fediverse, but it’s currently the most popular type of server. This means that Fediverse apps are usually written for the Mastodon API standard, as people will probably want to use them on Mastodon.
However, the Mastodon API is just a set of technical standards, it doesn’t give Mastodon any control over how it is used or who uses it. If a non-Mastodon server decides to make itself compatible with the Mastodon API’s technical standards, that means Mastodon apps will be compatible with that non-Mastodon server too.
This can be very useful for small, upcoming new types of server which aren’t widely enough used to attract dedicated app developers. It means if people want to use their server through an app, the server’s developers can just point people to existing Mastodon apps.
Which non-Mastodon servers support Mastodon apps?
The ones that do support Mastodon apps tend to advertise this fact. For example GoToSocial accounts and Pixelfed accounts will work through Mastodon apps.
The easiest way to check if your account will work with a Mastodon app is to simply try signing in on a Mastodon app.
Do non-Mastodon features work on Mastodon apps?
If you use a Mastodon app, you will only get access to Mastodon-type features through that app, even if you’re using a non-Mastodon server. If your server supports additional features not found on Mastodon, you will not be able to access these additional features through a Mastodon app.
What do Mastodon’s developers think about non-Mastodon servers using the Mastodon API?
The developers of Mastodon’s server software don’t officially condone using their API on non-Mastodon servers, but as it’s all free open source software there is no moral or legal rule being broken if someone chooses to do so.
Are there any third party Fediverse apps which officially support many types of Fediverse server?
Yes, for example Fedilab has always been written to support multiple types of Fediverse server. Check with a third party app’s description to see which server types it officially supports, it’s often more than just Mastodon.