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.
Sure. Just create a server and subscribe to communities. Then disable public registration. Anybody can read the content on your instance. So far as I know, you can read the content on any public instance without an account.
Or am I not understanding your question?
Ah, no - I think I just worded it poorly. I realize I could host my own instance for myself, but I meant hosting my own instance for myself and others. You know, to help spread the load. But I assume, then, they’d be able to create new communities on my instance/node.
You can disable the creation of new communities. If I understand what you want to do correctly (host users but not content), just make an instance, disable community creation, and put a stickied post linking the community finder and explaining that you should add using the full URL of the community