nitter/README.md

103 lines
3 KiB
Markdown
Raw Normal View History

2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
# Nitter (WIP)
A free and open source alternative Twitter front-end focused on privacy. \
Inspired by the [invidio.us](https://github.com/omarroth/invidious) project.
- No JavaScript or ads
- All requests go through the backend, client never talks to Twitter
- Prevents Twitter from tracking your IP or JavaScript fingerprint
- Unofficial API (no rate limits or developer account required)
2019-06-22 22:48:45 +00:00
- AGPLv3 licensed, no proprietary instances permitted
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
- Dark theme
2019-06-24 20:40:48 +00:00
- Lightweight (for [@nim_lang](https://twitter.com/nim_lang), 36KB vs 580KB from twitter.com)
2019-09-15 10:57:44 +00:00
- Native RSS feeds
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
## Installation
2019-06-23 23:34:30 +00:00
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
To compile Nitter you need a Nim installation, see here for details: https://nim-lang.org/install.html
2019-09-13 09:23:21 +00:00
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
You also need to install `libsass` to compile the scss files.
It is possible to install Nim system-wide or in the user directory you create below.
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
```bash
# useradd -m nitter
# su nitter
$ git clone https://github.com/zedeus/nitter
$ cd nitter
2019-09-15 09:31:27 +00:00
$ nimble build -d:release -d:hostname="..."
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
$ nimble scss
$ mkdir ./tmp
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
```
2019-09-15 09:31:27 +00:00
Change `-d:hostname="..."` to your instance's domain, eg. `-d:hostname:"nitter.net"`.
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
Set your port and page title in `nitter.conf`, then run Nitter by executing `./nitter`.
You should run Nitter behind a reverse proxy such as nginx or Apache for better
security.
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
To run Nitter via systemd you can use this service file:
```bash
[Unit]
Description=Nitter (An alternative Twitter front-end)
After=syslog.target
After=network.target
[Service]
Type=simple
# set user and group
User=nitter
Group=nitter
# configure location
WorkingDirectory=/home/nitter/nitter
ExecStart=/home/nitter/nitter/nitter
Restart=always
RestartSec=15
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
```
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
Then enable and run the service:
`systemctl enable --now nitter.service`
2019-06-22 22:48:45 +00:00
## Todo (roughly in this order)
2019-06-23 23:34:30 +00:00
2019-07-01 02:58:54 +00:00
- Search (images/videos, hashtags, etc.)
- Custom timeline filter
2019-07-15 12:15:22 +00:00
- More caching (waiting for [moigagoo/norm#19](https://github.com/moigagoo/norm/pull/19))
2019-07-01 02:58:54 +00:00
- Simple account system with customizable feed
2019-06-23 12:34:19 +00:00
- Json API endpoints
2019-06-29 12:11:23 +00:00
- Themes
2019-06-21 18:36:00 +00:00
- Nitter logo
2019-07-15 12:15:22 +00:00
- Emoji support (WIP, uses native font for now)
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
## Why?
2019-06-23 23:34:30 +00:00
2019-06-22 22:48:45 +00:00
It's basically impossible to use Twitter without JavaScript enabled. If you try,
you're redirected to the legacy mobile version which is awful both functionally
and aesthetically. For privacy-minded folks, preventing JavaScript analytics and
potential IP-based tracking is important, but apart from using the legacy mobile
2019-09-13 09:03:53 +00:00
version and a VPN, it's impossible.
Using an instance of Nitter (hosted on a VPS
for example), you can browse Twitter without JavaScript while retaining your
privacy. In addition to respecting your privacy, Nitter is on average around 15
times lighter than Twitter, and in some cases serves pages faster.
In the future
a simple account system will be added that lets you follow Twitter users,
allowing you to have a clean chronological timeline without needing a Twitter
account.
## Contact
Feel free to join our Freenode IRC channel at #nitter, or our
[Matrix server](https://riot.im/app/#/room/#nitter:matrix.org).
2019-06-21 01:17:21 +00:00
## Screenshot
![nitter](/screenshot.png)