Build an imageboard client
Phase 1 is not about one official app covering the whole category. 5chan is the first proof point, but the actual goal is a broad imageboard ecosystem: multiple Bitsocial clients with different visual languages, moderation defaults, directory models, and target communities.
What Phase 1 needs
- Familiar 4chan-style clients for mainstream onboarding
- Altchan-inspired clients with different cultures and board bundles
- Mobile-first or low-bandwidth clients
- Single-community or niche clients with strong opinionated defaults
- Better moderation, media, onboarding, or discovery flows than the first app ships with
Fastest way to help
If you want the shortest path to shipping, contribute to 5chan directly first:
- Explore the live app at 5chan.app
- Review the source at github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan
- Join the builder chat at t.me/fivechandev
Build your own client
If 5chan does not match the community or interface you want, build a separate client instead. Compatible Bitsocial clients can share the same network without sharing the same product decisions.
- Learn the protocol-facing tools:
- Decide what kind of imageboard you are actually building. Choose the board structure, identity assumptions, moderation model, discovery flow, and visual language first.
- Pick the implementation path that fits the project. Fork 5chan if you want to move fast with a familiar imageboard base. Start fresh if the UI or interaction model needs to be radically different.
- Ship a narrow first version. One client that serves one real community well is more valuable than a vague clone meant to satisfy everyone.
- Publish the result and let communities test it. Bitsocial improves when outside builders ship opinionated clients that compete on product quality instead of waiting for one official app to do everything.
Design principle
Bitsocial does not win by having one blessed client. It wins when many clients can coexist, fork, specialize, and serve needs the first app never will.