About Commonshub

A simpler way to build real communities online — on infrastructure you control.

Why this exists

Online communities have gradually moved onto platforms that optimize for reach, engagement, and advertising.

In that environment, conversations become fragmented, visibility is controlled by algorithms, and relationships are shaped by platform incentives.

Commonshub exists to offer a different model — one where communities are built around direct connection, continuity, and ownership.

Point of view

There is real value in a self-curated, chronological conversation — where what you see is determined by who you follow, not by an algorithm.

That model once existed more widely on the web, and remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay connected to the people and ideas that matter.

Commonshub is built to preserve and extend that approach, using open standards and open-source technologies wherever possible.

Who’s behind it

Commonshub was initiated by Lou Reynolds, a tech pioneer and builder of digital publishing systems.

In 1989, before the web existed, he founded Electronic Book Technologies, whose DynaText system explored many of the concepts that helped shape what later became the modern web.

This work led to a long-standing focus on how digital systems can support meaningful communication and lasting relationships — not just distribution.

A global effort

Commonshub is being built by a small, international team of experienced engineers and designers.

The project draws heavily on open-source software and widely adopted standards, with the goal of creating infrastructure that works across regions and communities — not tied to any single platform ecosystem or geographic center.

Built to strengthen the open social web

Commonshub exists because of the open social web — the protocols, communities, and contributors who have chosen to build something different from centralized platforms.

We are not here to extract from that ecosystem or sit on top of it. We are here to help it grow by making open, community-owned infrastructure easier for more people to use.

As Commonshub becomes sustainable, we intend to reinvest a portion of our revenue back into the ecosystem — supporting the tools, infrastructure, and community projects that make this space possible.

Our target is 5% of net revenue, directed toward projects that strengthen the fediverse and the broader open social web.

Looking forward

As more people look for alternatives to centralized platforms, the goal is not necessarily to replace them, but to give individuals and organizations a place of their own.

That broader shift is sometimes described as digital sovereignty — the ability to build on infrastructure you control, communicate directly with your community, and remain less dependent on platform incentives.

Commonshub is part of that movement toward a more open, decentralized web, where communities can be durable, self-directed, and aligned with the values of the people who build and sustain them.