The Fediverse, of which Mastodon is a part, is driven by independent server owners and users, connecting and sharing messages globally. Unlike centralized platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Threads, these decentralized networks can’t be controlled or seized by any single corporate owner. While the user interface resembles Twitter, decentralization means some features, like full-text search and hashtag following, are still evolving …
due to the complexity of distributing —or ‘federating’— data across multiple servers. But as more users join the Fediverse, these features are improving rapidly.