* Use local tmp directory * Enhance installation guide and add systemd service * Apply suggestions * Fix typo * Drop start of systemd service as its done with --now
91 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
91 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
# Nitter (WIP)
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A free and open source alternative Twitter front-end focused on privacy. \
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Inspired by the [invidio.us](https://github.com/omarroth/invidious) project.
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- No JavaScript or ads
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- All requests go through the backend, client never talks to Twitter
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- Prevents Twitter from tracking your IP or JavaScript fingerprint
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- Unofficial API (no rate limits or developer account required)
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- AGPLv3 licensed, no proprietary instances permitted
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- Dark theme
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- Lightweight (for [@nim_lang](https://twitter.com/nim_lang), 36KB vs 580KB from twitter.com)
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## Installation
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You need to install nim on your system: https://nim-lang.org/install.html
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It is possible to install nim system wide or in the user directory you create below.
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```bash
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# useradd -m nitter
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# su nitter
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$ git clone https://github.com/zedeus/nitter
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$ cd nitter
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$ nimble build -d:release
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$ mkdir ./tmp
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```
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To run nitter, execute `./nitter`. It's currently not possible to change any settings or things
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like the title, this will change as the project matures a bit. For now the focus
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is on implementing missing features.
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You should put nitter behind a reverse proxy with e.g. nginx or apache.
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It is also possible to run nitter via systemd:
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```bash
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[Unit]
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Description=Nitter (An alternative Twitter front-end)
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After=syslog.target
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After=network.target
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[Service]
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Type=simple
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# set user and group
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User=nitter
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Group=nitter
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# configure location
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WorkingDirectory=/home/nitter/nitter
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ExecStart=/home/nitter/nitter/nitter
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Restart=always
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RestartSec=15
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[Install]
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WantedBy=multi-user.target
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```
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Then enable and start
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`systemctl enable --now nitter.service`
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## Todo (roughly in this order)
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- Search (images/videos, hashtags, etc.)
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- Custom timeline filter
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- More caching (waiting for [moigagoo/norm#19](https://github.com/moigagoo/norm/pull/19))
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- Simple account system with customizable feed
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- Video support with hls.js
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- Json API endpoints
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- Themes
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- Nitter logo
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- Emoji support (WIP, uses native font for now)
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## Why?
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It's basically impossible to use Twitter without JavaScript enabled. If you try,
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you're redirected to the legacy mobile version which is awful both functionally
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and aesthetically. For privacy-minded folks, preventing JavaScript analytics and
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potential IP-based tracking is important, but apart from using the legacy mobile
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version and a VPN, it's impossible. Using an instance of Nitter (hosted on a VPS
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for example), you can essentially browse Twitter without JavaScript, while
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retaining your privacy. In addition to respecting your privacy, Nitter is on
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average around 15 times lighter than Twitter, and in some cases serves pages
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faster. In the future a simple account system will be added that lets you follow
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Twitter users, allowing you to have a clean chronological timeline without
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needing a Twitter account.
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## Screenshot
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![nitter](/screenshot.png)
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