Twitter’s decentralized alternative Bluesky comes as an invite-only iOS app

Bluesky, the decentralized project created by Twitter, has arrived Apple App Store Call only social network, As originally reported TechCrunch. The listing also offers one of the first glimpses of the app, which closely resembles Twitter’s timeline and profile pages.

The project is backed by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, and has been working for months on an app powered by its open-source community protocol, known as the Authorized Exchange Protocol, or “AT Protocol” for short. Bluesky explains It is a “federated social network” where separate networks are contained within a core.

According to Bluesky, the AT protocol is built on four key principles: account portability; algorithm; efficiency; and interoperability. This configuration allows you to easily transfer your account data to another Bluesky provider, and gives you more control over what you see on a network, among other things.

While Bluesky initially made the app available in a private beta for developers back in October, the company seems ready to expand testing a bit more now on the App Store. The website doesn’t provide any details on when the app will be available to the general public or how many testers are allowed to use the app, but it does allow users to Join the waiting list for access.

The project’s origins within Twitter stemmed from concerns over Bluesky’s status following the Elon Musk acquisition, which relied on the social network for funding. However, last year, Bluesky spun As a separate entity, Noting that “Independence was critical to the success of the project” and added Dorsey to its board.

Judging by the screenshots and content posted on the app store TechCrunchBluesky looks promising so far, with separate tabs for home, search and notifications in addition to a Twitter-like “repost” capability. We don’t know when (or if) Bluesky will come to Android, but we sure hope it does. With so many Twitter alternatives like Bluesky, Mastodon, and Hive, it feels like the golden age of social networking again.