Link: https://github.com/danhab99/userless

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:

1. Creators own their content entirely. Period.
2. 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.

I feel like you are missing something here.
Using cryptographic keys as identity seems like the lowest hanging fruit. Yet, out there, there are much more sophisticated mechanisms like atproto.

You are probably overlooking some stuff like identity theft and recovery.

edit: typo

Users generate an OpenPGP key pair and send their public key to the server

I like it! Pretty much assures that mainstreamers and normies will never bother us there 🤣