The change will take effect immediately, just refresh your browser tab.
It's not necessary to restart the Pleroma service.
**_For OTP releases,_** _unpack to /var/lib/pleroma instead._
To remove Soapbox and revert to the default pleroma-fe, simply `rm /opt/pleroma/instance/static/index.html` (you can delete other stuff in there too, but be careful not to delete your own HTML files).
## :elephant: Deploy on Mastodon
See [Installing Soapbox over Mastodon](https://docs.soapbox.pub/frontend/administration/mastodon/).
## How does it work?
Soapbox is a [single-page application (SPA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-page_application) that runs entirely in the browser with JavaScript.
It has a single HTML file, `index.html`, responsible only for loading the required JavaScript and CSS.
It interacts with the backend through [XMLHttpRequest (XHR)](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/XMLHttpRequest).
Here is a simplified example with Nginx:
```nginx
location /api {
proxy_pass http://backend;
}
location / {
root /opt/soapbox;
try_files $uri index.html;
}
```
(See [`mastodon.conf`](https://gitlab.com/soapbox-pub/soapbox/-/blob/develop/installation/mastodon.conf) for a full example.)
Soapbox incorporates much of the [Mastodon API](https://docs.joinmastodon.org/methods/), [Pleroma API](https://api.pleroma.social/), and more.
It detects features supported by the backend to provide the right experience for the backend.
# Running locally
To get it running, just clone the repo:
**Soapbox** is customizable open-source software that puts the power of social media in the hands of the people. Feature-rich and hyper-focused on providing a user experience to rival Big Tech, Soapbox is already home to some of the biggest alternative social platforms.
Ensure that Node.js and Yarn are installed, then install dependencies:
You may have heard of **Mastodon**. Soapbox builds upon what Mastodon made great to make something even better.
```sh
yarn
```
You can run **Mastodon+Soapbox**, **Rebased+Soapbox**, and more.
Finally, run the dev server:
Soapbox is the **frontend** (what users see) while Mastodon is the **backend** (data, APIs). You can mix-and-match in the Fediverse ecosystem.
```sh
yarn dev
```
> 💡 If you're starting a new server, we highly recommend **Rebased+Soapbox**. Rebased is our custom-built backend just for Soapbox, providing important new features such as **quote posting** and **chats**.
It will serve at `http://localhost:3036` by default.
Want to give Soapbox a shot? Here are some suggested servers:
You should see an input box - just enter the domain name of your instance to log in.
- [gleasonator.com](https://gleasonator.com/) - operated by the lead developer of Soapbox
- [pl.fediverse.pl](https://pl.fediverse.pl/) - Polish server run by a Soapbox maintainer
- [social.teci.world](https://social.teci.world/) - free speech server run by a Soapbox contributor
- [spinster.xyz](https://spinster.xyz/) - one of the largest feminist communities on the internet
- [poa.st](https://poa.st/) - the largest Soapbox server on the network
Tip: you can even enter a local instance like `http://localhost:3000`!
Want to use Soapbox against **any existing Mastodon/Pleroma server?** Try:
### Troubleshooting: `ERROR: NODE_ENV must be set`
- [fe.soapbox.pub](https://fe.soapbox.pub) - enter your server's domain name to use Soapbox on any server!
Create a `.env` file if you haven't already.
# 🚀 Starting Your Own Server
```sh
cp .env.example .env
```
Starting your own server is one of the best ways to have freedom online! We recommend installing **Rebased+Soapbox**.
And ensure that it contains `NODE_ENV=development`.
Try again.
See here for a detailed setup guide: [Installing Rebased+Soapbox](https://soapbox.pub/install/)
### Troubleshooting: it's not working!
# Adding Soapbox to an Existing Server
Run `node -V` and compare your Node.js version with the version in [`.tool-versions`](https://gitlab.com/soapbox-pub/soapbox/-/blob/develop/.tool-versions).
If they don't match, try installing [asdf](https://asdf-vm.com/).
Already have a server? No problem — it is still possible to use Soapbox.
## Local Dev Configuration
- [Deploying on Pleroma](https://docs.soapbox.pub/frontend/installing/#install-soapbox)
- [Deploying on Mastodon](https://docs.soapbox.pub/frontend/administration/mastodon/)
The following configuration variables are supported supported in local development.
Edit `.env` to set them.
> 💡 If using Pleroma, it's recommended to [upgrade it to Rebased](https://gitlab.com/-/snippets/2411739). This comes with better support and many new features, helping you get the most out of Soapbox.
All configuration is optional, except `NODE_ENV`.
# Developing Soapbox
#### `NODE_ENV`
tl;dr — `git clone`, `yarn`, and `yarn dev`.
The Node environment.
Soapbox checks for the following options:
For detailed guides, see these pages:
- `development` - What you should use while developing Soapbox.
- `production` - Use when compiling to deploy to a live server.
- `test` - Use when running automated tests.
1. [Soapbox local development](https://docs.soapbox.pub/frontend/development/running-locally/)
To do so, you can add the following line to your `.env` file:
```sh
NODE_ENV=development
```
#### Local dev server
- `yarn dev` - Run the local dev server.
#### Building
- `yarn build` - Compile without a dev server, into `/static` directory.
#### Translations
- `yarn manage:translations` - Normalizes translation files. Should always be run after editing i18n strings.
#### Tests
- `yarn test:all` - Runs all tests and linters.
- `yarn test` - Runs Jest for frontend unit tests.
- `yarn lint` - Runs all linters.
- `yarn lint:js` - Runs only JavaScript linter.
- `yarn lint:sass` - Runs only SASS linter.
# Contributing
## Contributing
We welcome contributions to this project.
To contribute, see [Contributing to Soapbox](docs/contributing.md).
Translators can help by providing [translations through Weblate](http://hosted.weblate.org/soapbox-pub/soapbox/).
Translators can help by providing [translations through Weblate](https://hosted.weblate.org/projects/soapbox-pub/soapbox/).
Native speakers from all around the world are welcome!
# Customization
# Project Philosophy
Soapbox supports customization of the user interface, to allow per-instance branding and other features.
Some examples include:
Soapbox was born out of the need to build independent platforms with **a unique identity and brand**.
- Instance name
- Site logo
- Favicon
- About page
- Terms of Service page
- Privacy Policy page
- Copyright Policy (DMCA) page
- Promo panel list items, e.g. blog site link
- Soapbox extensions, e.g. Patron module
- Default settings, e.g. default theme
This is in contrast to Mastodon's idea, where all servers are called "Mastodon" and use the Mastodon colors and logo. Users won't see the word "Soapbox" throughout the UI, they'll see the name of **your website** and your logo. To facilitate this, Soapbox has a robust customization UI and integrated moderation tools. Large servers are a priority.
More details can be found in [Customizing Soapbox](docs/customization.md).
One disadvantage of this approach is that it does not help the software spread. Some of the biggest servers on the network and running Soapbox and people don't even know it!
# License & Credits
Soapbox is based on [Gab Social](https://code.gab.com/gab/social/gab-social)'s frontend which is in turn based on [Mastodon](https://github.com/tootsuite/mastodon/)'s frontend.
- `static/sounds/chat.mp3` and `static/sounds/chat.oga` are from [notificationsounds.com](https://notificationsounds.com/notification-sounds/intuition-561) licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Alex Gleason
2 years ago
