Table of Contents
What Is the IndieWeb?
Terminology
Several overlapping terms describe the same space. “IndieWeb” is the most widely used and functions as an umbrella:
| Term | Notes |
|---|---|
| IndieWeb | Most popular; indieweb.org is the canonical reference |
| Small Web / Smol Web | smolweb.org; emphasis on minimalism and small scale |
| Human Web | Term used by Shellsharks; emphasizes human-made vs. corporate |
| Good Internet | goodinternetmagazine.com |
| Cozyweb | Maggie Appleton's concept; specifically the private, invite-only web — distinct from the above |
The “indie” in IndieWeb can mean both independent (from corporate platforms) and individual (personal expression).
The IndieWeb Is a Spectrum
Participation is not binary. Every setup involves trade-offs:
- Even bare-metal self-hosting means your domain is leased from a registrar, subject to ICANN policies
- HTTPS depends on certificate authorities (Let's Encrypt, etc.) trusted by browsers
- CDNs, VPS providers, ISPs — all involve trusting someone else's infrastructure
- Even electricity comes from a utility
The goal isn't purity — it's using good faith tools made by people trying their best, not tools built to maximize shareholder value at users' expense. That's the honour system. That's trust.
Three Principles (Redefined)
The IndieWeb.org canonical principles are good, but here's a more human framing:
1. Good faith code. Good faith writing.
The biggest separation from corporate social media. On the IndieWeb, you don't publish with invasive trackers, bloated pages, or accessibility-hostile design. You don't write from bad faith or misanthropy. You believe the Internet can still be good.
This isn't purity testing — it's mindfulness about the tools you use (hosting, frameworks, platforms) and whether they're built to serve people or extract from them.
2. A pro-social attitude.
The web is meant to be social — to cultivate friendships and community with people who share your interests. But you don't need a full comment system or webmentions to qualify. The minimum: some form of contact. Plain text email, a Mastodon link, an IRC server. Some dialogue, rather than pure one-way broadcast.
RSS is nice. Likes on posts are optional. But isolation isn't the goal either.
3. Be Fun. Be Accessible. Be Small.
See Fun, Accessible, and Small for the full breakdown. The short version: expressive individual design, WCAG compliance, and pages that actually load.