The Best Community Software: What to Look For

If you're on the hunt for the best community software, you may be asking the wrong question. It's not always about features, performance, design, or reputation. The best software is the one that fits your unique needs and idea. And don't be fooled - there are plenty of options to choose from. Basic groups on Facebook or LinkedIn, hosted SaaS platforms, closed-source proprietary enterprise solutions, open-source frameworks - the list goes on.

The real question you need to ask yourself is: what's your long-term vision for your community, and how much control do you want to have while building it? Are you okay with a one-size-fits-all solution? Are you comfortable sharing your members' data with the platform operator? Do you have the time and technical expertise to build on a general-purpose framework? Or do you need a platform that gives you a set of tools you can configure to match your unique idea, with full control and access to support from the core developers?

Open-source configurable software platforms offer several advantages over closed-source SaaS systems. For one, they allow you to choose your own hosting infrastructure, giving you greater control over your data and ensuring that it isn't shared with third parties without your consent. They also allow for unlimited customization and give you full ownership of your data.

On the other hand, closed-source SaaS platforms can be limiting in terms of control over your data, customization options, and dependence on the provider. Creating communities on social media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn can also have its drawbacks, such as lack of ownership, limited control, and lack of privacy.

• One major advantage of open-source configurable software platforms is that they allow users to choose their own hosting infrastructure. This means that you can host your social network on a server that you trust, which is not possible with closed-source SaaS systems. This gives you greater control over your data and ensures that it is not being shared with third parties without your consent.
• Another advantage of open-source configurable software platforms is that they allow users to modify the code without any limitations. This means that you can make changes to the code to meet your specific needs and requirements. With closed-source SaaS systems, you are often limited in terms of the changes you can make to the code, which can be frustrating if you want to customize your social network in a certain way.
• Open-source configurable software platforms also give users full ownership of their data. With closed-source SaaS systems, the data is often owned by the company providing the service, which means that you have limited control over how it is used. With open-source configurable software platforms, you own the data and can use it in any way you see fit.

UNA is one of the best examples of an open-source community software platforms. The UNA platform is highly configurable thanks to its UNA Studio configuration system, which makes it easy to make updates and customize the platform to meet your specific needs. In addition to its configurability, UNA offers several other advantages, including high scalability, a mobile-friendly responsive UI, and over 100 native modules that you can mix and match to create a unique social network.

Some negative aspects of closed-source SaaS platforms include:

1. Lack of control over data: With closed-source SaaS platforms, you do not have control over how your data is used. The company providing the service owns your data and can use it for their own purposes, which may not align with your values or interests.
2. Limited customization: Closed-source SaaS platforms often have limited customization options, which can be frustrating if you want to tailor the platform to your specific needs. With open-source configurable software platforms, you can make changes to the code to meet your unique requirements.
3. Dependence on the provider: With closed-source SaaS platforms, you are dependent on the company providing the service for updates and support. If the company goes out of business or changes its policies, you may be left with no support or access to your data.

Creating communities on social media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn also has its drawbacks:

1. Lack of ownership: With social media sites, you do not own your data or the community that you have built. The social media platform owns the data and can use it for their own purposes, or even delete it if they see fit.
2. Limited control: Social media sites have their own rules and policies that you must follow, and you do not have much control over how your community is managed. This can be frustrating if you want to create a community with a specific focus or purpose.
3. Lack of privacy: Social media sites are known for their lack of privacy, and it can be difficult to ensure that your community members' data is not being shared with third parties without their consent. This can be a major concern for those who value their privacy.

The UNA platform offers several benefits, including:

1. High configurability: The UNA Studio configuration system allows users to easily make updates and customize the platform to meet their specific needs.
2. High scalability: UNA is a scalable platform that can handle large amounts of traffic and data. There are no limits on number of members or technical constrains of backend infrastructure you can deploy.
3. Mobile-friendly responsive UI: UNA has a mobile-friendly responsive user interface that provides a seamless user experience across all devices.
4. Over 100 native modules: UNA comes with over 100 native modules that allow users to add functionality to their social network and hundreds more available from UNA Market.

In addition to these benefits, UNA also has strong community support and has been actively developed for over 20 years. The dedicated UNA development team is constantly working to improve the platform and add new features.

And most importantly - UNA is constantly evolving and we can help your to implement it in a way that suits your idea perfectly.

UNA team is part of the Yasko Studio community development agency, offering tailored implementation and development services with over 100 successful custom projects launched.

Reach out to us via team@una.io to discuss your idea.