Executive Summary

• ATProto does not have instances like Mastodon.
• Relays are key to ATProto’s performance and scalability.
• Decentralization vs consistency is a trade-off in ATProto and ActivityPub.

The Buzz Score

The Internet’s Verdict: 70% Hyped, 30% Skeptical

Understanding ATProto

ATProto is often misunderstood due to its differences from Mastodon and ActivityPub. One common question is about the lack of instances in ATProto.

> Every single time a post about atproto hits Hacker News, somebody asks in the comments: “But where are all the Bluesky instances?”. The problem is, there are no instances in atproto! The question is a category error. Instances are a Mastodon-brained concept, and I wanted something I can link to that explains this clearly.

Relays and Decentralization

Relays play a crucial role in ATProto’s architecture, enabling efficient data transfer and scalability. However, this design choice also means that ATProto sacrifices true decentralization for consistency.

ATproto sacrifices true decentralization for consistency, Mastodon and AP does the opposite, sacrifices true consistency for more accessible decentralization. At least that’s how I understand it, because running an AP node is much more accessible to regular selfhosters than running one of those content relays in AT.

Conclusion

ATProto’s unique design and trade-offs set it apart from other decentralized platforms. Understanding these differences is essential for evaluating the potential of ATProto and its place in the broader landscape of decentralized technologies.

Focus Keyword: ATProto Instances