Admin Guide

What to do when things go wrong on your Mastodon server

Setting up regular backups (optional, but not really)

Instructions on how to enable additional functionality for your Mastodon server

Setting environment variables for your Mastodon installation.

Instructional guide on creating your own Mastodon-powered website.

Copying your Mastodon installation to a new server without losing anything.

Actions that can be taken against unwanted users or domains.

If you are setting up a fresh machine, it is recommended that you secure it first. Assuming that you are running Ubuntu 20.04: Do not allow password-based SSH login (keys only) First make sure you are actually logging in to the server using keys and not via a password, otherwise this will lock you out. Many hosting providers support uploading a public key and automatically set up key-based root login on new machines for you.

Optimizations that can be done to serve more users.

Things to do after installing Mastodon

When a new version of Mastodon comes out, it appears on the GitHub releases page. Please mind that running unreleased code from the main branch, while possible, is not recommended. Mastodon releases correspond to git tags. Before attempting an upgrade, look up the desired release on the GitHub releases page. The page will contain a changelog describing everything you need to know about what’s different, as well as specific upgrade instructions.

tootctl commands that can be run from the CLI.