Microblogging, with the wide usage of Twitter, is a hot subject in today’s web.

Using few words & spending less effort compared to the standard blogging, it becomes possible to share knowledge, feelings, etc. And, it keeps users connected to other users with the simple yet powerful community features.

While there are very popular microblogging services like Twitter, Tumblr or Plurk, being a rival may not be (or may be) the best idea. However, in order to create something unique, a community for a closed group or a microblog for a single user, there are still huge opportunities.

Here are 9 open source microblogging applications to create your own:

StatusNet (PHP)

StatusNet (previously Laconica) is the engine which runs the popular microblogging site Identi.ca.

It is built with PHP/MySQL & offers a smooth usage as it is a widely used, mature application.

P.S. The source can be found here.

Yonkly (Asp.Net)

Yonkly is an Asp.Net-powered Twitter-clone for creating your own microblogging community network.

Besides the open source version, it has a hosted & an advanced standalone version.

JaikuEngine (Python)

Jaiku was the microblogging site of Google. However, they decided no longer to develop the code but make it open source under the name JaikuEngine.

Anyone can set up and run their own JaikuEngine instance on Google App Engine. Alo, there is an open source mobile client & frontend.

Floopo (PHP)

This free microblogging script is built with PHP & MySQL.

It functions very similar to Twitter & provides a powerful backend to manage the whole system.

Jisko (PHP)

Jisko is a PHP microblogging application that offers a Twitter-like API for developing it further.

Users can have their profile pages, message with each other easily & Jisko is compatible with mobile devices.

PageCookery (PHP)

PageCookery is a single-user microblog which can pull data from social networks like Flickr, last.fm, etc.

It offers an Ajaxed interface where users can comment to the entries easily.

P.S. The original page is Chinese. However, you can view the English version behind Google Translate.

EchoWaves (Ruby on Rails)

EchoWaves is a ready-to-use hosted application where the source code is offered for free.

It is a collaboration tool & a social network which is focused to conversations rather than the users.

P2 Wordpress Theme (PHP)

This is a Wordpress theme which can convert your blogging engine into a Twitter-like interface.

It has real-time updates where new posts & comments come in without reloading. There are also inline comments, posting from homepage & more.

Motion (Typepad – Python)

TypePad Motion enables publishers and marketers to create vibrant, branded communities that deepen loyalty and increase page views while giving you total control of your brand.

It is based on Pownce & MovableType Motion and built with Django.

Blurt.it (PHP – Added on 19 October 2009)

Blurt.it is a fresh microblogging application that requires PHP/MySQL to run.

Very similar to Twitter, users can easily connect with each other with open or private threads.

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The "+" in the name refers to the continuous additions being made to the set upon user requests.

They come in 3 different sizes:

• 16*16px
• 32*32px
• 122*42px (large buttons)

And, all icons are in PNG format.

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It is a perfect "instant website" for anyone who is active in social networks.

Besides the ability to show content of any website via RSS/Atom feeds, it supports popular web services like:

• Delicious
• Facebook
• Flickr
• last.fm
• ReaderNaut
• Twitter
• Vimeo
• Youtube

Although the default theme already offers a nice presentation, it can be easily themed (uses Savant template engine) for a unique look & feel.

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Twitter

Background images are the ones which creates the biggest difference & here are 26 websites to find free Twitter backgrounds. 

Twitter Patterns

TwitterImage.com

Twitpaper

TwitterBackgrounds.com

Free Twitter Designer

twitbacks

Twitter-Images

MyTweetSpace

twitrounds

TwitterBacks

Twitter Gallery

SweetTweet.net

PrettyTweet

Twitter Background Images

Twitter Background

TweetBacks

TweetHawk

TwitterBacksNow

Free Twitter Skins

TwitterBugg

And More:

• Free Twitter Backgrounds By FlashMint
• Free PSD Twitter Background Template By Fuel Your Creativity
• 10 Tasty Twitter Backgrounds By Sitepoint
• Free Twitter Backgrounds PSD Layered Files
• Twitter Backgrounds By WebDesignBeach.com

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It is an unobtrusive JavaScript file for displaying a retweet link with a shortened URL via Bit.ly (similar to Tweetmeme) & number of clicks came to that content from Twitter.

Easy Retweet Button has 2 ready-to-go styles: vertical & horizontal. And it can be easily themed as only HTML, CSS & JavaScript is used.

It is possible to customize the "Retweet" text, prefix of the tweets (like RT @..) & Bit.ly username / API key to be used.

It offers various advantages like:

• speed: it works completely asynchronously
• tracking: all the tracking is done via Bit.ly & clicks from retweets can be tracked from a single interface

Steps For Using It With Wordpress:

This is nothing complicated but can save your time:

• Create a "js" folder in your active theme & upload Retweet.js into this folder
• Include the Retweet.js to your theme. There are 2 options:
  • You may want to use retweet links only inside your post details (single.php) page. So, it is a better decision to include Retweet.js only into single.php to prevent unnecessary loading. In your template’s folder>header.php>between your head tags:
    <?php
if ( is_single()) {
?>
    <script src="<?php bloginfo('stylesheet_directory'); ?>/js/retweet.js"></script>
<?php
}
?>
  • If you will use it site-wide (your homepage, post details, etc..) simple include the JS file to your template’s folder>header.php>between your head tags:
    <script src="<?php bloginfo('stylesheet_directory'); ?>/js/retweet.js"></script>
• For using it inside post details (single.php), insert the code below to any part of your template’s single.php file:
  <a class="retweet" href="<?php echo get_permalink(); ?>" rel="nofollow"><?php the_title(); ?></a> . Besides the original examples of Easy Retweet Button, rel=nofollow info is added considering the link has no value to search engines.
• And, you may want to get a free account from Bit.ly & update the username & API key info inside Retweet.js to reach your stats from a single interface.

P.S. A demo of the script can be found below the title of every post at WebResourcesDepot.

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It can be configured to show your tweets or the tweets of your friends.

Once a webpage is loaded, the latest tweets are shown & "an update button" can make an Ajax call to get the new ones.

The component comes with 3 ready-to-use themes & new ones can be created by updating the CSS + images used.

Ptwix is so easy to install & it supports caching for faster loading.

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• uploading images, videos (Flickr, Youtube..)
• saving bookmaks or voting (Delicious, Digg..)
• listening to music (Last.fm..)
• logging "what we are doing right now" (Twitter, Facebook..)
• & more..

AmpliFeeder is an open source lifestream application which can combine every activity we have on other services & present them.

The application is already integrated with many popular services & new ones can be added easily.

The look & feel can be totally customized with the theming support (there are 10+ ready-to-use themes).

AmpliFeeder is built with ASP.NET & uses MSSQL for storing the data.

P.S. The source code is not yet available for download but it can be downloaded in the next few weeks.

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And, it can filter tweets by a hash tag (#example) which makes it possible to create a Twitter-based group or community in the website.

Twitster comes with a web-based installation wizard that helps setting up the system quickly.

It currently supports one hash tag to be used but features like multiple has tags & @reply linking are expected in the next release.

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Although there are web based services which enable you to schedule tweeting, you may not want to give your Twitter password.

Here comes ScheduledTweets. It is a 100% free web application to schedule your tweets that you can install into your web hosting account.

ScheduledTweets is built with PHP, uses MySQL to store the data & its interface is fully Ajaxed.

It enables you to define time-intervals which your tweets will be sent every x minutes. You can enter unlimited tweets, drag’n drop your tweets to change the order they will be sent.

Also, URL shortening service TinyURL is integrated for shorter tweets.

ScheduledTweets comes with a web-based friendly installer that helps you define database & Twitter information easily.

Why To Use ScheduledTweets?

Twitter is both an instant messaging & a micro-blogging platform. You will probably not schedule your personal tweets (I won’t, as it clearly becomes meaningless) but if you are regularly sharing stuff on a subject (like I do), then it has the same benefit as scheduling a post on a blog.

How To Use?

Once you are logged in,

• Add tweets to the queue (you can drag’n drop order them)
• Add schedules like: on Mondays, between 10:00 to 16:00 tweet every 60 minutes .Schedules are not that smart -currently- & you can define crossing schedules.

How To Install (Automated)?

• Create a MySQL database & user
• After downloading it, unzip the files to a folder & upload them to your hosting account
• Run http://www.yourdomainname.com/scheduled-tweets-url/index.php
• Define the MySQL database information you created in the first step. Also define your Twitter info and desired ScheduledTweets admin info
• Click install
• Setup a cron job to http://www.yourdomainname.com/inc/functions.php?getAction=cronTweet (the interval must be lower than your smallest interval defined in ScheduledTweets)
• Click "Start ScheduledTweets" button at the top menu
• That’s it

How To Install (Manual)?

• Create a MySQL database & user
• After downloading it, unzip the files to a folder & upload them to your hosting account
• Run setup.sql (inc/setup/setup.sql) on your database
• Edit the options in inc/config.php (database info, Twitter info, scheduledTweets info)
• Setup a cron job to http://www.yourdomainname.com/inc/functions.php?getAction=cronTweet (the interval must be lower than your smallest interval defined in ScheduledTweets)
• Click "Start ScheduledTweets" button at the top menu
• That’s it

How To Setup Cron Jobs:

If your hosting provider does not enable you to setup cron jobs than you can use these free web services as well:

• OnlineCronJobs
• SetCronJob

Else:

• How to Create a Cron Job (Scheduled Task) for Your Website or Blog

Roadmap:

• Multiple Twitter accounts support
• Multiple URL shortening services support
• Displaying tweets sent previously
• Disable crossing schedules

License:

ScheduledTweets is free to use for both personal & commercial projects. But it can not be sold or re-distributed in anyway.

Thanks to:

• jQuery
• Use PHP to Twitter Your Tweets
• ClockPick plugin
• Converting links in text to clickable ones
• Character count with jQuery
• Crystal Clear icons

P.S. I’m more a Microsoft scripting languages guy (sorry ), wanted to dive into PHP & this project is the longest code I’ve written with PHP. So, I’ll be glad to hear any improvements.

Update (20 April 2009):

V1.1

• inc>functions.php is updated to fix the non-functioning start-stop button.

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Twitter, getting bigger & better, is also another powerful network where content can reach to thousands easily in minutes.

To help the readers of a website share/tweet a content at Twitter easily, here is a simple way of integration:

You can send a querystring to Twitter like:

http://twitter.com/home?status=Your Tweet. For example, a tweet link for this post can be:

http://twitter.com/home?status=How To Add Tweeting With Short URL Functionality To A Website (With PHP): http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/how-to-add-tweeting-with-short-url-functionality-to-a-website-with-php/

The problem & the solution:

There is a 140 character limit in Twitter & the length of the URL is a headache. So, auto-shortening the URL with a short URL service will be handy.

The file_get_contents function of PHP helps us to easily get the short URL as a string. Lets use the TinyURL service & create a simple function:

<?php
function makeShortURL($URLToConvert) { 
     $shortURL= file_get_contents("http://tinyurl.com/api-create.php?url=" . $URLToConvert); 
     return $shortURL; 
}
?>

So, calling the function with the URL, like:

<?php echo makeShortURL("http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/how-to-add-tweeting-with-short-url-functionality-to-a-website-with-php/")?>

will result in: http://tinyurl.com/arbz2e.

And the link to this post will become:

http://twitter.com/home?status=How To Add Tweeting With Short URL Functionality To A Website (With PHP):http://tinyurl.com/arbz2e

For Wordpress users:

Wordpress users can add the makeShortURL function to the functions.php in the active theme folder.

Important, make sure you don’t leave any spaces between other functions & at the bottom of the functions.php file. Else, the RSS feed will have some trouble in creating the XML files.

And, in the single.php file, where the posts are displayed, use the line (or update it to your needs) below:

<a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=<?php the_title(); ?>: <?php echo makeShortURL(get_permalink())?>" rel="nofollow">Tweet This Post</a>.

And that’s all.

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