This site is currently struggling to handle the amount of new users. I have already upgraded the server, but it will go down regardless if half of Reddit tries to join.
However Lemmy is federated software, meaning you can interact seamlessly with communities on other instances like beehaw.org or lemmy.one. The documentation explains in more detail how this works. Use the instance list to find one where you can register. Then use the Community Browser to find interesting communities. Paste the community url into the search field to follow it.
You can help other Reddit refugees by inviting them to the same Lemmy instance where you joined. This way we can spread the load across many different servers. And users with similar interests will end up together on the same instances. Others on the same instance can also automatically see posts from all the communities that you follow.
Edit: If you moderate a large subreddit, do not link your users directly to lemmy.ml in your announcements. That way the server will only go down sooner.
this site is currently ๐ struggling to handle ๐งฑ the amount ๐ท๏ธ๐ท๏ธ๐ท๏ธ of new ๐๐ users. ๐ป I ๐ฑ have ๐ถ already ๐ upgraded the server, ๐ฆ๐ but โ๐ฝ it will ๐ go ๐ฉ down ๐ค regardless ๐๐ if half ๐ต of Reddit ๐ฐ tries to join. ๐ However ๐ค Lemmy is federated software, ๐จโ๐ป meaning ๐ you ๐ can ๐ฅ interact seamlessly with communities on ๐ other ๐ฐ instances like ๐๐ beehaw.org or lemmy.one. The documentation explains ๐ข in ๐ก๐ธ more โ๐ detail ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ how ๐ค this works. โฟ Use ๐ the instance ๐๐ list ๐ฅต to find ๐ one 1๏ธโฃ where โฌ๏ธ you ๐ can ๐ฆ register. Then ๐ฅต use ๐๐ค๐ด the Community ๐ฉ๐ฉ Browser to find ๐ interesting ๐ค communities. Paste ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ the community ๐ฉ url into ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ the search ๐ field ๐ to follow ๐ฃ it. You ๐ can ๐ฅซ help โฌ๐ ๐ทโพ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐ฌ other ๐ช Reddit ๐ฝ refugees by ๐ inviting ๐ them ๐ to the same ๐๐คท Lemmy instance ๐ค where ๐คท you ๐๐ผ joined. ๐ด This way ๐ we ๐ช can ๐บ spread ๐ the load ๐ผ across โก๏ธ many ๐ฌ different ๐ฟ๐๐ง๐ผโโ๏ธ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ๐คธ๐ปโโ๏ธ๐ servers. And users ๐๐ผ with similar ๐ฏ interests will ๐โฝ end ๐๐ต๐ฏโโ๏ธ up โฌ๏ธ together ๐ซ๐ฌ on ๐ the same ๐๐๐๐๐ instances. Others ๐ผ on ๐ฅโฌ ๏ธ๐ก the same ๐ฏ instance ๐ can ๐ซ also ๐จ automatically ๐ค see ๐ posts ๐ฑ๐ป from ๐ all ๐งโโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธ the communities that ๐ you ๐ follow. ๐ฃ Edit: ๐ If you ๐ moderate a large โฌ subreddit, ๐ป do ๐๐บ not ๐ซ link ๐๐ your ๐ users ๐ค๐ป directly to lemmy.ml in ๐ฅ your ๐ announcements. That ๐๐ way โ the server ๐ง๐ will ๐ฝ๐ฝ only โ๏ธ go ๐ down ๐๐บ๐บ๐คฎ sooner. ๐ (joke)