Bluesky, a promising competitor to Twitter/X, has announced its proactive strategy to bolster growth through the “AT Protocol Grants.” This innovative program aims to financially support developers crafting applications on its novel social networking protocol. With an initial fund of $10,000, grants ranging between $500 to $2,000 will be allocated to projects based on a variety of criteria, including implementation costs and anticipated usage.
Who Benefited from the Pilot Program?
Developers interested in this unique opportunity are encouraged to apply by filling out a specially designed form provided by Bluesky. The company has stated there is no strict deadline for application submissions; however, the program will close once the $10,000 fund is completely distributed.
In a preliminary round, known as a pilot program, Bluesky has already awarded $3,000 of the total fund. The recipients include the creators of two significant SDKs and SkyFeed, an inventive tool:
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilya Siamionau | AT Protocol Python SDK | Part of $3,000 | Development of a Python SDK for the AT Protocol, enhancing developer access and interaction with the protocol. |
| Shinya Kato | AT Protocol Dart SDK | Part of $3,000 | Creation of a Dart SDK for the AT Protocol, facilitating development of applications in Dart language. |
| SkyFeed | Custom Feed Creation Tool | Part of $3,000 | An innovative tool that enables both developers and non-developers to create custom feeds through a graphical user interface, with over 40,000 custom feeds created. |
Beyond financial incentives, Bluesky’s mission is to revolutionize social networking by prioritizing user autonomy and personalization. The platform allows users to fine-tune their experience by adjusting moderation settings and curating or subscribing to feeds that offer a departure from Bluesky’s standard timeline presentation. Furthermore, users have the option to engage with federated servers, each with distinct moderation policies, thus enriching the diversity of content and interactions available on the platform.
Where Does Bluesky Stand in the Decentralized Social Networking Ecosystem?
Decentralized social networking is not a novel concept, with several projects operating under the ActivityPub protocol and establishing a presence in the digital sphere. These include:
- Mastodon, Misskey, and Pixelfed:
- Established projects that have pioneered the space of decentralized social networking.
- Instagram Threads by Meta:
- Plans to integrate with the ActivityPub protocol, indicating a move towards decentralized networking by mainstream platforms.
- Bluesky’s AT Protocol:
- Posited as a superior alternative due to features such as enhanced algorithmic choice, setting it apart from existing options. Bluesky also hints at a potential bridge for interoperability between the AT Protocol and ActivityPub, aiming to simplify user interactions across different networks.
Strengthening Development with AWS Partnership
To further aid developers in bringing their projects to life, Bluesky has formed a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), offering $5,000 in AWS Activate credits. These credits are intended to defray costs associated with leveraging AWS cloud services, including but not limited to:
- Machine Learning: Access to AWS’s comprehensive machine learning services to add intelligence to applications.
- Compute: Utilization of AWS computing resources to run applications and backend services.
- Database Management: Services for managing relational and NoSQL databases.
- Storage: AWS storage solutions for data archiving, backup, and recovery.
- Containers: Tools for managing and deploying containers in a highly scalable environment.
- Dev Tools: A suite of development tools to code, build, test, and deploy applications on AWS.
How Does Bluesky’s Approach Differ from Twitter/X?
This initiative starkly contrasts with the recent approach of Twitter/X towards its developer community, particularly under the leadership of Elon Musk. Changes to API terms have seen a downturn in opportunities for many small developers, researchers, and bot creators, prompting a shift in focus towards alternative platforms like Mastodon. Unlike its predecessor, Bluesky embraces a collaborative ethos, recognizing the value of a thriving third-party ecosystem in enhancing user engagement and platform growth.
As Bluesky navigates the post-launch phase, where initial user influx has begun to stabilize, these community-focused initiatives could prove instrumental in sustaining and potentially accelerating growth. With nearly 5.18 million users and counting, Bluesky’s strategic investments in its developer community and platform enhancements signal a strong commitment to its vision for a more interconnected and user-driven social networking experience.
Coinciding with the grant announcement, Bluesky also rolled out its app version 1.71. This update introduced a slew of features aimed at improving user experience, such as an upgraded hashtag view page, enhanced “mutewords” functionality to include quoted posts (excluding the user’s own posts), and the capability to initiate hashtags with numbers, among others. These continuous improvements underscore Bluesky’s dedication to evolving its platform to meet the needs and preferences of its growing user base, setting a new standard for social media engagement and community building.
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