Starling is a lightweight ActivityPub server designed to be the simplest way to run a personal or small community instance on the fediverse without the need for complex infrastructure.

The main features of this tool include:

• Simplified Deployment: It is designed to run like a simple PHP application, making it compatible with typical shared hosting and small VPS environments where more complex software might fail.

• Minimal Infrastructure: Unlike larger platforms, it requires no external database (it uses SQLite), no background workers, and no cron jobs.

• Fediverse Compatibility: It speaks the ActivityPub protocol and is compatible with platforms such as Mastodon, GoToSocial, and PixelFed.

• Mastodon-Compatible API: Because it includes a Mastodon-compatible API surface, you can use popular third-party clients like Ivory, Elk, and Phanpy to interact with your server.

• Core Social Features: Despite its small size, it supports essential social actions including publishing posts, following accounts, likes, boosts, and bookmarks.

• Built-in Management Tools: The software includes its own web client and a dedicated admin panel for instance maintenance, federation settings, and delivery queues.

• Low Resource Requirements: It runs on a minimal PHP 8.2 stack with SQLite support, making it ideal for independent deployments that value simplicity over large-scale complexity.