Principles
Independent
UNA can be installed and run on-premises without any dependence on the UNA team or any specific service. Connection to the UNA update server is optional and only used to access app downloads and version updates. Operators of UNA-powered networks retain full control and ownership of their site data.
Responsive
UNA CoreUI is fully responsive and mobile-friendly, and the API allows for the development of native mobile apps. All user interfaces are developed with consideration for mobile, tablet, and desktop viewports.
Customisable
The configuration layer is separate from administration, and Studio offers an extensive no-code approach to configuration changes. This allows for greater flexibility and customization without affecting the core system. UNA addresses the common issue of web platforms becoming unupgradable when modified. With UNA, most modifications can be done in isolated modules without affecting the core system, ensuring seamless version updates.
Scalable
UNA is engineered for scalability across multiple dimensions. From a technical perspective, it supports scalable media storage, leverages database and web server clustering, and employs various caching mechanisms to manage high concurrency and user growth efficiently. Beyond handling increasing user numbers, UNA provides organizational scalability. It separates content administration and site configuration tools with a permission system to assign organizational roles.
Modular
UNA is built with a modular architecture, enabling developers to easily extend and build upon the existing functionality. This encourages customization and helps developers and agencies to create tailored solutions for their communities.
Secure By Design
Security is a top priority in UNA's design and development. The framework implements best practices for secure coding and follows the SBD (Secure By Design) principles. For example, instead of a development team creating fixes or patches once a security threat has been identified, the entire team considers who, why, and how a threat may occur at each stage of planning, design, and development. UNA CMS has successfully passed several major European and Australian security audits.
Private By Design
We take the principles of PBD (Privacy By Design) as the main guidance in developing and configuring default settings of UNA CMS features.
- Proactive not reactive, preventative not remedial
- Privacy as the default setting
- Privacy embedded into design
- Full functionality: positive-sum not zero-sum
- End-to-end security – full lifecycle protection
- Visibility and transparency – keep it open
- Respect for user privacy – keep it user-centric
We never read, mine, or sell personal data. We provide the software for our clients to enable their customers to access, control, and exchange their identity and personal data. We maintain user privacy by ensuring that all user data is encrypted in transit. This means that there is no way for anyone other than the data owner and users with data access privileges given by site operators to view, edit, or manage the data.
Community-Led
The UNA community is diverse and engaged, comprising developers, agencies, and community operators. This active community contributes to the platform's continuous growth, ensuring that UNA remains an optimal choice for building independent communities.
Interoperable
UNA is built on open standards, which promotes interoperability with other platforms and services. This ensures that communities can easily integrate with existing systems and take advantage of new technologies as they emerge.
Performant
UNA is developed with a religious focus on performance. Implementing efficient algorithms, optimized database queries, and caching mechanisms to ensure fast, responsive experiences for users at any scale.