Can I Delete Then Recreating An Instance On FediHost?

The short answer is no, but we can probably simply restore your instance.

If you delete your instance on FediHost, you cannot immediately turn around and recreate a new instance using that same domain name. While this might feel like a limitation, it is actually a safety mechanism designed to protect your identity and your followers across the Fediverse.

Why does this happen? (The Technical Part)

To understand why you can't simply "reset" a domain, you have to look at how ActivityPub (the protocol that powers Mastodon) handles deletion.

When a Mastodon instance is deleted, the correct procedure is to issue a "self-destruct" command. This broadcasts a signal to every other server in the Fediverse that says, "This server is gone. Please unfollow all accounts and delete all cached data."

Once that signal is sent, it is permanent. If you were to try and "recreate" the instance later on the same domain:

• Federation breaks: Other servers will reject your new messages because they remember the "Tombstone" (deletion record) of the old server.
• Keys don't match: Your new instance would generate new cryptographic security keys. Remote servers would see the old domain but new keys, flagging your instance as an imposter and blocking it.

You can read more about the severity of the Mastodon self-destruct command here and the implications of server deletion here.

FediHost’s Safety Net

Because the destruction process is so final, FediHost does not send the self-destruct command immediately.

If you delete your instance—whether by accident, or during a moment of frustration—we hold the data in a "grace period" state. We do this to ensure that if you change your mind, your followers are not instantly wiped out from servers across the world.

However, this means the domain is effectively "locked" in our system while we wait to see if you actually wanted to destroy it.

The Solution: Don't Recreate, Restore.

If you deleted your instance and want it back, do not try to create a new account.

Because of our safety delay, we can often simply restore your previous instance exactly as it was. This brings back your followers, your posts, and your federation keys, allowing you to pick up exactly where you left off without breaking your connection to the rest of the Fediverse.

How to get your instance back: Simply send an email to support@fedihost.co using the email address associated with your account. Let us know you want to restore a deleted instance, and we will handle the rest.