gemini://the.web-is.fail/getting-started/
Start Exploring the SmolNet
Want to start exploring the SmolNet, but haven’t a clue where to start? This page is intended to help set you on the road!
This page covers what equipment you need, and points you at some useful search engines and other starting points.
See also this glossary of SmolNet terms you may find useful.
Equipment
Portals
If you’re just testing the waters, then it’s probably easiest to use your preferred web browser, together with a web portal that can translate between the Web and the SmolNet protocols (Gopher, Gemini, etc).
portal.mozz.us (Gemini, Spartan, Gopher...)
gopherproxy.meulie.net (Gopher only)
Clients (Browsers... but not of the Web)
Dedicated clients. For when you’re ready to get serious, or if you want to log into gemcaps.
Why would you use a client?
Here are a handful of links to clients you might try:
Lagrange (RECOMMENDED!) (multiplatform, including iOS and Android)
Kristall (multiplatform; does Gemini, but not Gopher)
Deedum (for Android; does Gemini, but not Gopher)
Amfora, a feature-rich Gemini browser for your terminal
Elinks (In-terminal browser. Does Gemini,, does Gopher, does the web too.)
Lynx (does Gopher, in addition to web stuff)
(See the Gemini Project’s “Known Software” page, for many more!)
Starting Points (Link Garden)
Now that you know how to get around, here are some ideas on where you might start!
Search Engines
Searching for content about something? Try one of these!
(Unlike Google, these won’t understand questions - be sure your search includes the actual words that should be in the found pages (and no other words))
Kennedy: Search Gemini Space
“Totally Legit” Gemini Search (for Geminispace)
Floodgap/Veronica 2 (for Gopherspace)
Cities and Tildespaces
Servers with personal sites for a multitude of different users. Like GeoCities of old!
Tilde Team - Gemini
Tilde Team - Gopher
The Super Dimension Fortress (SDF) - Gopher
khuxkm’s LEO
Bulletin Boards (BBS)
Servers where you can post and read content on a variety of topics.
GeminiSpace BBS
Station
Aggregators
Aggregators check for the existence of new log entries, to gather them all in one feed. It's a great way to discover other sites, and some clients can use them to “subscribe” to updates.
CAPCOM Aggregator (Gemini)
Antenna Aggregator (Michael Nordmeyer) (Gemini)
Bongusta! (Gopher)
Cosmos (Gemini)
A Super-Aggregator that automatically threads posts that refer to other posts
Games, and Gaming Spaces
Astrobotany (Care for your digital flowers, and participate in a community)
“Things” at TheGonz.net (scroll to the “Games” section)
Text Adventures at Mozz.us (Gopher)
Simple Gemini Game Server (Shogi, Go, Connect4, ...)
Acidus's Minesweeper
SmolNet Interfaces to the Web
Gemipedia (Gemini interface to Wikipedia)
🧇 NewsWaffle (Gemini interface to news websites)
XKCD Comics Archive
Other “Starting Point” Guides!
Excellent starting-point guides that, of course, I only discovered after completing most of the content for this capsule.
skyjake’s Getting Started (on Gemini(/Lagrange))
GeminiQuickst.art
Protocol Details
The Gopher Protocol (RFC 1436)
The Gemini Project (Gemini Protocol & the Gemtext format)
The Titan Protocol Specification (served on the same port as Gemini protocol, alongside it)
The Spartan Protocol (extremely Gemini-like, but no TLS)
The Nex Protocol (a straightforwardly simple, extremely Gopher-like protocol)
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