Importing tweets for a Mastodon instance 🐦➡️🐘

Thats a simples script to import yours tweets from any Twitter account to a Mastodon account, in any instance.

Steps

For this tutorial, you'll need to install Node.js and Git.

• Node.js: Download | Node.js (nodejs.org)
• Git: Git - Downloads (git-scm.com)

#1 - Request your Twitter data in link below;

Go here for request your Twitter data. You'll recive a link to download a zip file. There will be tweets, images, information etc. It'll be in this configuration:

• twitter
  • assets (folder)
  • data (folder)
  • Your archive (html file)

#2 - Extract archive and look for tweets.js

Extract the file in your Desktop folder. Will be more easy for manipulate. Find the tweets.js file. It'll be, probably inside "data" folder and move it to Desktop.

#3 - Clone this repo

Clone this repo in your Desktop folder with the command:

git clone https://github.com/FGRibreau/import-tweets-to-mastodon.git

Or download the zip and extract in Desktop.

#4 - Set an API key from Mastodon

To request an API key from Mastodon, click here if you are on mastodon.social, otherwise go to https://{your-mastodon.instance}/settings/applications. Create an new application in "New Application". Set an Application Name (e. g.: api-mastodon-twitter) and, at the end of page, click in "Submit".

#5 - Set the environment variables

Windows

1. Copy your "Your access token" from developer's page in Mastodon;
2. Press "WIN + R" and write "cmd". Click ENTER;
3. Go to your Desktop folder;
4. Write

MASTODON_API_BASEPATH=https://[YOUR-MASTODON-INSTANCE] 

MASTODON_API_KEY=YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN_FROM_MASTODON

TWITTER_TWEETJS_FILEPATH=tweets.js

Linux and MacOS

1. Same thing as Windows;
2. Open Terminal;
3. Got to your Desktop folder;
4. Write

export MASTODON_API_BASEPATH=https://[YOUR-MASTODON-INSTANCE] 

export MASTODON_API_KEY=YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN_FROM_MASTODON

export TWITTER_TWEETJS_FILEPATH=../tweets.js

#6 - Setting the script

In the terminal (or CMD), enter in "import-tweets-mastodon" folder, located in Desktop. Write

npm install

After this

node import.js

#7 - All options explained

Command	Default	Explanation
TWITTER_TWEETJS_FILEPATH		Path to tweet.js file, e.g. ../twitter-data/data/tweets.js
MASTODON_API_KEY		The API key, looks like y8LptTshBDs4LmL3WTZxINgl4gHFPB0-mOzspqeIinM
MASTODON_API_BASEPATH		The url of your Mastodon instance, e.g. https://mastodon.social
TWITTER_LIMITTWEETSTOSETYEAR	true	If only Tweets from the specified year should be considered
TWITTER_YEAR	current year
TWITTER_EXCLUDEREPLIES	true	Whether replies should be posted
TWITTER_EXCLUDERETWEETS	false	Whether retweets should be posted
MASTODON_POSTMEDIA	false	Whether media (images and video) should be posted
TWITTER_MEDIAPATH		Path to media folder, e.g. ../twitter-data/data/tweets_media/
MASTODON_TIMEOUTBETWEENPOSTS	0	Time in seconds between posts, necessary due to rate limit (= less than 1 post/minute when media-heavy). Combine with MASTODON_TIMEOUTBETWEENMEDIAUPLOADS for the right amount.
MASTODON_TIMEOUTBETWEENMEDIAUPLOADS	10	Time in seconds between media uploads, necessary because especially videos need some time processing
MASTODON_ADDDATEFROMTWEET	false
MASTODON_DATETEXT	Originally on Twitter ({date}): \n\n	If a date should be added, which text should be added ({date} will be replaced by the date)
MASTODON_CHANGEDATELOCALETO	(if not specified uses your computer's locale)	The set locale (DE = Germany) which affects the date format, e.g. "14/9/2017" in France or "14.9.2017" in Germany
MASTODON_RUNWITHOUTPOSTING	false	(For testing) You can use to check if all files and data was correct
TWITTER_LIMITNUMBEROFTWEETS	-1 (= no limit)	Only post the last (=newest) x number of Tweets

Example for a reasonable configuration

export MASTODON_API_BASEPATH=https://mastodon.social MASTODON_API_KEY=y8LptTshBDs4LmL3WTZxINgl4gHFPB0-mOzspqeIinM TWITTER_TWEETJS_FILEPATH=../twitter-data/data/tweets.js TWITTER_EXCLUDERETWEETS=true, MASTODON_ADDDATEFROMTWEET=true MASTODON_CHANGEDATELOCALETO=DE TWITTER_LIMITTWEETSTOSETYEAR=false MASTODON_POSTMEDIA=true TWITTER_MEDIAPATH=../twitter-data/data/tweets_media/ MASTODON_TIMEOUTBETWEENPOSTS=10 MASTODON_TIMEOUTBETWEENMEDIAUPLOADS=40 MASTODON_PRESERVETHREADS=true

Need help?

• This project is open-sourced. Feel free to contribute;
• If you really want support please consider sponsoring me 👍