Dan Abramov • 6/19/2026

There Are No Instances in atproto

This article clarifies a common misconception about atproto, the protocol powering Bluesky. It argues that the concept of 'instances' is specific to Mastodon's implementation of ActivityPub, not applicable to atproto. Using analogies from RSS/Google Reader and Facebook, the author explains how atproto separates hosting and aggregation, unlike Mastodon where users reside in instances. The piece is a technical deep-dive into decentralized social network architecture, relevant to IT professionals interested in protocol design, decentralization, and social media infrastructure.

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#bluesky #Protocol #Federation