Rawfeed

What is Rawfeed?

Rawfeed is an open-source, text-based microblogging platform built around chronological feeds. Its core purpose is to let people control what they see by avoiding algorithmic manipulation—posts are displayed in the order they were published.

In Rawfeed, following is meant to be meaningful: if you follow someone, you see their posts. The platform also provides RSS feeds per profile, so readers can own how they consume content rather than relying on a single in-app timeline.

Key Features

• Chronological, algorithm-free feed: Posts appear in publication order rather than being ranked or filtered by an algorithm.
• True following behavior: Following someone is directly tied to seeing their posts, aligning the follow button with expected behavior.
• Text-based posts (character-limited): Content is presented as text-only micro posts with a 400-character limit; the platform is designed to exclude images and videos.
• Built-in RSS for every profile: Each profile includes an RSS feed, enabling reading outside the main app and supporting an export-friendly reading experience.
• Open source and transparent: The platform’s source code is available for review, with community ownership described as an ongoing governance model.
• Privacy-first approach: The site states it uses no tracking and does not sell user data.
• Cost transparency (budget disclosure): The project publishes a budget breakdown with line items and a running total since launch.
• Use as social network or personal microblog: The same chronological feed supports both following-based social use and personal publishing.

How to Use Rawfeed

1. Create an account (the site states it is free forever and does not require a credit card).
2. Follow users you want to read; the feed is intended to show their posts directly in chronological order.
3. Post text updates within the 400-character limit to share ideas via micro posts.
4. Use the RSS output from profiles to consume content in your preferred RSS reader; the platform provides an RSS feed for each profile.
5. Choose your publishing path: use your profile at rawfeed.social/username, point your own domain to your profile for a personal microblog, or use both patterns depending on how you want to present your account.

Use Cases

• Community updates without feed ranking: A user who wants a chronological timeline where posts from followed accounts appear in publish order can rely on Rawfeed’s algorithm-free feed.
• A personal microblog with your own domain: A writer or hobbyist can publish short text posts and map their profile to yourdomain.com for a personal publishing presence.
• Cross-platform reading via RSS: A reader who prefers an RSS reader can subscribe to profile feeds to manage attention without depending on a single social interface.
• Conversation threads around text-only posts: A user can engage in comments and thread-style discussion connected to text posts rather than media-heavy interactions.
• Developers exploring or contributing: Since the project is described as open-source and built in the open, developers can follow progress on GitHub and contribute code or participate in discussions.

FAQ

• Is Rawfeed algorithm-free? The platform states its feed is chronological and does not use algorithms to decide what you see.

• Does Rawfeed support RSS? Yes. The site states that every profile includes an RSS feed.

• What kinds of content can I post? Rawfeed is described as text-based with a 400-character limit and no images or videos.

• Can I use Rawfeed like a personal website? The site describes a personal microblog mode where you can point your own domain to your profile (in addition to using the rawfeed.social/username profile URL).

• Is Rawfeed ready for public use? The about page says it is currently in active development and not ready for public use yet.

Alternatives

• Chronological, non-algorithmic microblogging services (general category): Other chronological microblogging platforms can offer simpler timelines, typically differing in how they handle follow semantics and whether they provide RSS outputs.
• RSS-centric social/community tools: Tools that emphasize RSS for reading and distribution can match the “own your feed” goal, though they may differ in how closely posting and following mirror social feeds.
• General-purpose blogging platforms (self-hosted or hosted): Blogging platforms can serve as personal publishing endpoints, but they often focus on long-form posts rather than short, text-only micro posts with a built-in social following flow.
• Standalone open-source social engines (self-hostable platforms): Self-hostable alternatives may offer open-source transparency and user control, but they can differ in timeline behavior (chronological vs ranked), content formats, and RSS support.