whatisgithub

What is atproto?

gaearon/atproto — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2026-02-17

★ 8Audience · developerComplexity · 4/5MaintainedSetup · hard

In one sentence

The reference TypeScript implementation of AT Protocol, the open standard powering Bluesky, letting anyone build compatible apps, feeds, or servers.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Powers Bluesky network
      Open decentralized standard
      Interoperable client apps
    Tech stack
      TypeScript
      Lexicon schema
    Use cases
      Build custom feeds
      Run personal data server
      Create moderation tools
    Audience
      Developers
      Protocol builders
    Components
      Client library
      Identity resolution
      AppView service

Code map

Detail Auto

An interactive map of this repo's files and how they connect — its source is parsed live in your browser. Click Visualize to build it.

filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Build a custom feed algorithm that shows only posts about a specific topic on Bluesky.

USE CASE 2

Run your own Personal Data Server to host a user's posts independent of Bluesky's servers.

USE CASE 3

Create a moderation tool that plugs into the AT Protocol network.

USE CASE 4

Build a new client app that reads and posts to Bluesky using the client library.

What is it built with?

TypeScript

How does it compare?

gaearon/atproto100/awesome-machine-learningadam-s/car-diagnosis
Stars888
Language—PythonPython
Last pushed2026-02-172024-08-07—
MaintenanceMaintainedStale—
Setup difficultyhardeasymoderate
Complexity4/51/53/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperresearcher

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · hard Time to first run · 1h+

Multiple packages (data server, AppView, client) mean real infrastructure setup for anything beyond the client library.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to use the AT Protocol client library to post and read data from Bluesky.
Prompt 2
Explain how Lexicon schemas define data structure across AT Protocol services.
Prompt 3
Help me set up a local AT Protocol test environment to experiment without touching the live network.
Prompt 4
Walk me through building a custom feed algorithm on top of this AT Protocol codebase.

Frequently asked questions

What is atproto?

The reference TypeScript implementation of AT Protocol, the open standard powering Bluesky, letting anyone build compatible apps, feeds, or servers.

Is atproto actively maintained?

Maintained — commit in last 6 months (last push 2026-02-17).

How hard is atproto to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated hard, with roughly 1h+ to a first successful run.

Who is atproto for?

Mainly developer.

Open on GitHub → Ask about another repo

This repo across BitVibe Labs

Verify against the repo before relying on details.

What are similar repos?