from AnonomousWolf@lemm.ee to fediverse@lemmy.ml on 18 Apr 09:25
https://lemm.ee/post/61681422
๐งฎ Decentralization Scoring System (v1.0)
This scoring system evaluates how decentralized and self-hostable a platform is, based on four core metrics.
๐ Scoring Metrics (Total: 100 Points)
Top Provider User Share (30 points): Measures how many users are on the largest instance. Full points if <10%; 0 if >80%.
Top Provider Content Share (30 points): Measures how much content is hosted by the largest instance. Full points if <10%; 0 if >80%.
Ease of Self-Hosting: Server (20 points): Technical ease of running your own backend. Full points for Docker/simple setup with good docs.
Ease of Self-Hosting: User Interface (20 points): Availability and usability of clients. Full points for accessible, FOSS, multi-platform clients.
๐ Example Breakdown (Estimates)
๐ง Email (2025)
- Top Provider User Share: Apple โ 53.67% โ Score: 4.5/30
- Top Provider Content Share: Apple likely handles >50% of mail โ Score: 4.5/30
- Self-Hosting: Server: Easy (Leverage email hosting services) โ Score: 18/20
- Self-Hosting: Client: Easy (Thunderbird, K-9, etc.) โ Score: 18/20
Total: 45/100
๐น Lemmy (2025)
- Top Provider User Share: lemmy.world โ 37.17% โ Score: 12/30
- Top Provider Content Share: lemmy.world likely hosts ~37% content โ Score: 12/30
- Self-Hosting: Server: Easy (Docker, low resource) โ Score: 18/20
- Self-Hosting: Client: Good FOSS apps, web UI โ Score: 18/20
Total: 60/100
๐ Mastodon (2025)
- Top Provider User Share: mastodon.social โ 42.7% โ Score: 11/30
- Top Provider Content Share: mastodon.social โ 45โ50% content โ Score: 10/30
- Self-Hosting: Server: Docker setup, moderate difficulty โ Score: 15/20
- Self-Hosting: Client: Strong ecosystem (Tusky, web, etc.) โ Score: 19/20
Total: 55/100
๐ต Bluesky (2025)
- Top Provider User Share: bsky.social โ ~90%+ (very centralized) โ Score: 0/30
- Top Provider Content Share: Nearly all content on bsky.social โ Score: 0/30
- Self-Hosting: Server: PDS hosting possible but very niche โ Score: 4/20
- Self-Hosting: Client: Mostly official client; some 3rd party โ Score: 10/20
Total: 14/100
๐ฅ Reddit (2025)
- Top Provider User Share: Reddit โ 48.4% โ Score: 0/30
- Top Provider Content Share: Reddit hosts a significant portion of user-generated content โ Score: 0/30
- Self-Hosting: Server: Not self-hostable (proprietary platform) โ Score: 0/20
- Self-Hosting: Client: Some unofficial clients available โ Score: 3/20
Total: 3/100
How Scores are Calculated
๐งโ๐คโ๐ง How User/Content Share Scores Work
This measures how many users are on the largest provider (or instance).
- 100% (one provider): If one provider has all the users, it gets 0 points.
- No provider > 10%: If no provider has more than 10%, it gets full 30 points.
- Between 10% and 80%: Anything in between is scored on a linear scale.
- > 80%: If a provider has more than 80%, it gets 0 points.
๐ Formula:
Score = 30 ร (1 - (TopProviderShare - 10%) / 70%)
โฆbut only if TopProviderShare is between 10% and 80%.
If below 10%, full 30. If above 80%, zero.
๐ Example:
If one provider has 40% of all users:
โ Score = 30 ร (1 - (40 - 10) / 70) = 30 ร (1 - 0.43) = 17.1 points
๐ฅ๏ธ How Ease of Self-Hosting Scores Work
These scores measure how easy it is for individuals or communities to run their own servers or use clients.
This looks at how technically easy it is to run your own backend (e.g., email server, Mastodon server) or User Interface (e.g., web-interface or mobile-app)
- Very Easy: One-command Docker, low resources, great documentation โ 18โ20 points
- Moderate: Docker or manual setup, some config, active community support โ 13โ17 points
- Hard: Complex setup, needs regular updates or custom config (e.g. DNS, spam) โ 6โ12 points
- Very Hard or Proprietary: Little to no self-hosting support, undocumented โ 0โ5 points
PS.
This is Version 1.0 so there are likely flaws and mistakes in it, feel free to help create the best version we can Iโve put it on https://github.com/NoBadDays/decentralization-score
threaded - newest
The main reason for me creating this is to shine light on services like Bluesky claiming to be Decentralised, but they are in fact not.
If we have an unbiased scoring system, then we can make things like this clear to people, and we can work towards building truly robust decentralised services.
This can even be used to help move users or content to smaller instances to help strengthen decentralisation
I think this is a great idea and a great goal. It will take time and the process will not be easy as thereโs always subjectivity. But I think if you make sure to include everyone, but also donโt waffle too much once the subjective stuff is given proper attention, it can be great.
How does reddit not have a 100% top provider user Stat, while itโs the only site you can create a reddit account?
Iโll correct that in v1.1
@AnonomousWolf @fediverse
Looks reasonable overall, but I don't understand some of your assessments.
>Easy (Leverage email hosting services)
What are those email hosting services? If hosting and maintenance are delegated to 3rd parties, that doesn't count towards decentralization.
>Top Provider User Share: Reddit โ 48.4%
Why this is not 100%?
>Very Easy: One-command Docker,
I think the easiest option is distro's default package manager -- docker is additional layer of complexity. Also some services are nearly impossible to self-host without docker, and points should be subtracted if that is the case.
@silverpill @AnonomousWolf @fediverse
>>Easy (Leverage email hosting services)
>
>What are those email hosting services? If hosting and maintenance are delegated to 3rd parties, that doesn't count towards decentralization.
I can see some justification for this in that almost any domain hosting service or VPS will provide an email service either included or at low cost. However I think that the figure should have some explanation and maybe some metrics based on the number of independent hosts available. For example, as far as I know there is only one provider of hosted Mitra, so it would not seem reasonable to give it a "very easy" score based on this, but what about Mastodon where the number of providers is at least in the high tens and probably hundreds?
If it were up to me I would ignore hosted solutions in the "ease of hosting" section and maybe have another entry for choice/decentralisation of hosted solutions.
In my opinion anything that only has docker installation should have points removed. Having it as an option is fine,but having it as the only option has several issues
1- Not every OS even has docker. Take for example FreeBSD
2- Many, non technical, people may not have or even know what Docker is. Having it as the only install option actually ads complexity for that group of people
3- Having to install docker for only one system that you want to install adds an entire layer of complexity and in some cases may even outright discourage someone from installing some software
How would you redefine this?
@AnonomousWolf What if you can install it with only a couple of commands and Docker is not required? Docker should not be the gold standard.
Option 1: Execute a couple commands to execute an install script.
Option 2: Figure out what Docker is. Figure out that Docker is not installed. Research how to install Docker. Install Docker. Execute the the Docker command. Screw it up. Ask for help from a developer since you never heard of Docker before.
Option 2 is way harder unless you are a developer and know what Docker is.
It is not user friendly to install if you have to be a developer to install it! In fact, I would call that user-hostile because the average power user or administrator can't install it.
For "easy" I think it should have an install script (of any kind) and that it does not have to be Docker.
For "very easy" it should be like the WordPress 5 minute install. Upload the files, set up the database, and go to a URL to configure it.
@AnonomousWolf I would redefine it like this:
My take on the scoring
Very Easy: Multiple easy install methods (e.g., one-command OS package, single binary, and/or Docker). If only one install method it should be single binary or OS package. Great documentation. 18โ20 points
Easy: Limited easy methods or only one. Some configuration may be needed, good documentation. 15โ17 points
Moderate: Docker is the only method or manual setup. Average to pool documentation 11โ14 points
Hard: Complex setup, needs regular updates or custom config (e.g. DNS, spam) 6โ12 points
Very Hard or Proprietary: Little to no self-hosting support, undocumented 0โ5 points
Cool idea, could you please crosspost to !fediverse@piefed.social ?
Sure thing, I posted v1.2