Stacks / Newsletter
Loops
Short video you host. Loops is AGPL-3.0 — TikTok without the hosted For You seat.
The problem
TikTok is a hosted short-video graph. You wanted clips and follows on a box you run. Loops is AGPL-3.0 (joinloops/loops-server; last push 23 Oct 2026) — an ActivityPub short-video server. PeerTube is the VOD library already on /replace/youtube — not a TikTok For You feed. Owncast is live streaming — /replace/twitch. This is not TikTok Shop, ads, or the old interest graph. A photo feed stays on /replace/instagram.
Replaces
TikTok
Estimated SaaS saved
$1,200
per year, small team, before lock-in
Start on RailwayPeerTube if this is a VOD library, not short video
Placeholder: Loops (PHP + a database + a volume for video) as joinloops.org documents. Federation wants a public hostname. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. A VOD library stays on /stacks/peertube-video.
The stack
- Loops
AGPL-3.0 federated short-video server — the published TikTok path
Cost table
| You stop paying | Typical / year | Self-host instead |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok / hosted short video (small team) | $1,200 | Loops + a video volume |
Agent setup prompt
Replace TikTok with Loops (https://joinloops.org). - Official docs (joinloops/loops-server). Persist the database and video volume. Create one account and one clip. Do not claim TikTok Shop, ads, or a For You graph. - PeerTube if the job is a VOD library — /stacks/peertube-video. Owncast if the job is live — /stacks/owncast-live. - Write AGENT_PROMPT.md.
Also as markdown: /stacks/loops-tiktok.md
FAQ
- Loops or PeerTube?
- Loops if the product is short clips (the published TikTok path). PeerTube if the product is a VOD library — /replace/youtube. They are different jobs.
- Is this Instagram?
- No. A photo feed is Pixelfed — /replace/instagram.
- Are these free?
- Loops is AGPL-3.0. You pay hosting and storage. Template users never pay c17.