Open Source Social Network (OSSN) is an open-source PHP application for creating a full social networking website. It provides core community features like profiles, a newsfeed, groups, and messaging, plus an extensible component system to add more functionality.

Key Features

User accounts with profiles, cover photos, friends management, and privacy-related controls (blocking)
Newsfeed with posts, comments, likes/reactions, mentions, and media embedding
Groups, blogs, photo albums/gallery, search, and notifications
Messaging and live chat features, including real-time updates
Admin dashboard with user management, configuration, themes/components management, and cache settings
Extensible “components” system for adding extra features, plus multilingual UI support
Web services API for integrations and custom development

Use Cases

Private or public community platform for clubs, schools, or interest groups
Internal social network for teams and organizations
Niche social site with custom features added via components

Limitations and Considerations

Feature set and scalability depend heavily on chosen components and hosting resources
Requires correct filesystem permissions for the web server to operate properly

OSSN is a practical option for teams that want a traditional social network experience with a PHP stack and the ability to extend functionality through modules. It fits well for community-centric sites that need common social features without building everything from scratch.