This GitHub repository provides a simple script that can pull missing posts into Mastodon using the Mastodon API. FediFetcher has no further dependencies, and can be run as either a GitHub Action, as a scheduled cron job, or a pre-packaged container. Here is what FediFetcher can do:
**Be aware, that this script may run for a *very* long time.** This is particularly true, the first time this script runs, and/or if you enable all parts of this script. You should ensure that you take steps to prevent multiple overlapping executions of this script, as that will lead to unpleasant results. There are detailed instructions for this below.
FediFetcher makes use of the Mastodon API. It'll run against any instance implementing this API, and whilst it was built for Mastodon, it's been [confirmed working against Pleroma](https://fed.xnor.in/objects/6bd47928-704a-4cb8-82d6-87471d1b632f) as well.
FediFetcher will pull in posts and profiles from any server that implements the Mastodon API, including Mastodon, Pleroma, Akkoma, Pixelfed, and probably others.
2. Enable the required scopes for your options. You could tick `read` and `admin:read:accounts`, or see below for a list of which scopes are required for which options.
If you are not a server admin, you do not have access to Preferences > Development. You can use [GetAuth for Mastodon](https://getauth.thms.uk) to generate an Access Token instead.
Keep in mind that [the schedule event can be delayed during periods of high loads of GitHub Actions workflow runs](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/events-that-trigger-workflows#schedule).
3. Then simply run this script like so: `python find_posts.py --access-token=<TOKEN> --server=<SERVER>` etc. (Read below, or run `python find_posts.py -h` to get a list of all options.)
When using a cronjob, we are using file based locking to avoid multiple overlapping executions of the script. The timeout period for the lock can be configured using `--lock-hours`.
If you are running FediFetcher locally, my recommendation is to run it manually once, before turning on the cron job: The first run will be significantly slower than subsequent runs, and that will help you prevent overlapping during that first run.
*Note:* if you wish to run FediFetcher using Windows Task Scheduler, you can rename the script to the `.pyw` extension instead of `.py`, and it will run silently, without opening a console window.
FediFetcher is also available in a pre-packaged container, [FediFetcher](https://github.com/nanos/FediFetcher/pkgs/container/fedifetcher) - Thank you [@nikdoof](https://github.com/nikdoof).
1. Pull the container from `ghcr.io`, using Docker or your container tool of choice: `docker pull ghcr.io/nanos/fedifetcher:latest`
2. Run the container, passing the command line arguments like running the script directly: `docker run -it ghcr.io/nanos/fedifetcher:latest --access-token=<TOKEN> --server=<SERVER>`
FediFetcher has quite a few configuration options, so here is my quick configuration advice, that should probably work for most people (use the *Environment Variable Name* if you are running FediFetcher has a GitHub Action, otherwise use the *Command line flag*):
| Environment Variable Name | Command line flag | Recommended Value |
If you configure FediFetcher this way, it'll fetch missing remote replies to the last 200 posts in your home timeline. It'll additionally backfill profiles of the last 80 people you followed, and of every account who appeared in your notifications during the past hour.
#### Advanced Options
Please find the list of all configuration options, including descriptions, below:
| -- | `--access-token` | Yes | The access token. If using GitHub action, this needs to be provided as a Secret called `ACCESS_TOKEN`. If running as a cron job or a container, you can supply this argument multiple times, to [fetch posts for multiple users](https://blog.thms.uk/2023/04/muli-user-support-for-fedifetcher) on your instance. |
| `HOME_TIMELINE_LENGTH` | `--home-timeline-length` | No | Provide to fetch remote replies to posts in the API-Key owner's home timeline. Determines how many posts we'll fetch replies for. Recommended value: `200`.
| `REPLY_INTERVAL_IN_HOURS` | `--reply-interval-in-hours` | No | Provide to fetch remote replies to posts that have received replies from users on your own instance. Determines how far back in time we'll go to find posts that have received replies. Recommend value: `0` (disabled). Requires an access token with `admin:read:accounts`.
| `MAX_BOOKMARKS` | `--max-bookmarks` | No | Provide to fetch remote replies to any posts you have bookmarked. Determines how many of your bookmarks you want to get replies to. Recommended value: `80`. Requires an access token with `read:bookmarks` scope.
| `MAX_FAVOURITES` | `--max-favourites` | No | Provide to fetch remote replies to any posts you have favourited. Determines how many of your favourites you want to get replies to. Recommended value: `40`. Requires an access token with `read:favourites` scope.
| `MAX_FOLLOWINGS` | `--max-followings` | No | Provide to backfill profiles for your most recent followings. Determines how many of your last followings you want to backfill. Recommended value: `80`.
| `MAX_FOLLOWERS` | `--max-followers` | No | Provide to backfill profiles for your most recent followers. Determines how many of your last followers you want to backfill. Recommended value: `80`.
| `MAX_FOLLOW_REQUESTS` | `--max-follow-requests` | No | Provide to backfill profiles for the API key owner's most recent pending follow requests. Determines how many of your last follow requests you want to backfill. Recommended value: `80`.
| `FROM_NOTIFICATIONS` | `--from-notifications` | No | Provide to backfill profiles of anyone mentioned in your recent notifications. Determines how many hours of notifications you want to look at. Requires an access token with `read:notifications` scope. Recommended value: `1`, unless you run FediFetcher less than once per hour.
|`BACKFILL_WITH_CONTEXT` | `--backfill-with-context` | No | Set to `0` to disable fetching remote replies while backfilling profiles. This is enabled by default, but you can disable it, if it's too slow for you.
|`BACKFILL_MENTIONED_USERS` | `--backfill-mentioned-users` | No | Set to `0` to disable backfilling any mentioned users when fetching the home timeline. This is enabled by default, but you can disable it, if it's too slow for you.
| `REMEMBER_USERS_FOR_HOURS` | `--remember-users-for-hours` | No | How long between back-filling attempts for non-followed accounts? Defaults to `168`, i.e. one week.
| -- | `--lock-hours` | No | Determines after how many hours a lock file should be discarded. Not relevant when running the script as GitHub Action, as concurrency is prevented using a different mechanism. Recommended value: `24`.
| -- | `--lock-file` | No | Location for the lock file. If not specified, will use `lock.lock` under the state directory. Not relevant when running the script as GitHub Action.
| -- | `--state-dir` | No | Directory storing persistent files, and the default location for lock file. Not relevant when running the script as GitHub Action.
| `ON_START` | `--on-start` | No | Optionally provide a callback URL that will be pinged when processing is starting. A query parameter `rid={uuid}` will automatically be appended to uniquely identify each execution. This can be used to monitor your script using a service such as healthchecks.io.
| `ON_DONE` | `--on-done` | No | Optionally provide a callback URL that will be called when processing is finished. A query parameter `rid={uuid}` will automatically be appended to uniquely identify each execution. This can be used to monitor your script using a service such as healthchecks.io.
| `ON_FAIL` | `--on-fail` | No | Optionally provide a callback URL that will be called when processing has failed. A query parameter `rid={uuid}` will automatically be appended to uniquely identify each execution. This can be used to monitor your script using a service such as healthchecks.io.
If you wish to [run FediFetcher for multiple users on your instance](https://blog.thms.uk/2023/04/muli-user-support-for-fedifetcher?utm_source=github), you can supply the `--access-token` argument multiple times, with different access tokens for different users. That will allow you to fetch replies and/or backfill profiles for multiple users on your account. Have a look at the [sample script provided](./examples/FediFetcher-multiple-users.sh).
This is only supported when running FediFetcher as cron job, or container. Multi-user support is not available when running FediFetcher as GitHub Action.
The original inspiration of this script, as well as parts of its implementation are taken from [Abhinav Sarkar](https://notes.abhinavsarkar.net/2023/mastodon-context). Thank you Abhinav!
