I’ve been working on an open-source project called Userless (https://github.com/danhab99/userless), and I’ve reached a point where the codebase has officially outgrown me. Working as a solo dev has gotten overwhelming and lonely, and I’m looking for collaborators—and honestly, friends—who want to help me shape this vision.
The Core Idea: Redefining the Internet Protocol
The internet is broken when it comes to how content creators and moderators interact. Right now, platforms have total monopoly over your data. If a moderator or a platform doesn't like what you say, they delete your post, and it ceases to exist.
I looked at basic internet protocols and thought: the relationship between creators and moderators needs to be entirely different.
Userless is built on two core principles:
- Creators own their content entirely. Period.
- Moderators have the right to exclude content. If a moderator doesn't want to host or display certain content on their node or community, they shouldn't have to.
But just because a moderator doesn't like your content doesn't mean it shouldn't exist anymore.
By separating ownership from hosting/curation, we can create a web where communities can self-moderate without silencing creators or destroying their digital footprints.
There's a tonne more I can talk about it but the AI's recommended I shorten this.
Why I need your help:
I’ve laid down the initial code, but it has gotten away from me. I’m losing my mental map of the project, and I really need people to jump in, help me organize it, and brainstorm the roadmap.
Whether you’re a protocol nerd, a backend engineer, or just someone who cares deeply about digital ownership and the future of the web, I’d love to have you.
Check out the repo here: https://github.com/danhab99/userless
Drop a comment, shoot me a PM, or open an issue if you want to chat, look at the code together. Let's build a better internet together.