diff --git a/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/Cargo.toml b/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/Cargo.toml
index 0cf96652ba..d8837610e5 100644
--- a/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,3 +14,11 @@ serde = { version = "1.0.163", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = { version = "1.0.96", features = ["preserve_order"] }
 thiserror = "1.0.40"
 url = { version = "2.3.1", features = ["serde"] }
+derive_builder = "0.12.0"
+reqwest = { version = "0.11.17", features = [
+	"json",
+	"stream",
+	"rustls",
+	"rustls-native-certs",
+] }
+reqwest-middleware = "0.2.2"
diff --git a/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/config.rs b/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/config.rs
index e69de29bb2..cd8e70266f 100644
--- a/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/config.rs
+++ b/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/config.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+// GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
+// https://github.com/LemmyNet/activitypub-federation-rust
+
+//! Configuration for this library, with various federation settings
+//!
+//! Use [FederationConfig::builder](crate::config::FederationConfig::builder) to initialize it.
+//!
+//! ```
+//! # use activitypub_federation::config::FederationConfig;
+//! # let _ = actix_rt::System::new();
+//! let settings = FederationConfig::builder()
+//!     .domain("example.com")
+//!     .app_data(())
+//!     .http_fetch_limit(50)
+//!     .worker_count(16)
+//!     .build()?;
+//! # Ok::<(), anyhow::Error>(())
+//! ```
+
+use crate::{
+    activity_queue::create_activity_queue, error::Error,
+    protocol::verification::verify_domains_match, traits::ActivityHandler,
+};
+use async_trait::async_trait;
+use derive_builder::Builder;
+use reqwest_middleware::ClientWithMiddleware;
+use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
+use std::{
+    ops::Deref,
+    sync::{
+        atomic::{AtomicU32, Ordering},
+        Arc,
+    },
+    time::Duration,
+};
+use url::Url;
+
+/// Configuration for this library, with various federation related settings
+#[derive(Builder, Clone)]
+#[builder(build_fn(private, name = "partial_build"))]
+pub struct FederationConfig<T: Clone> {
+    /// The domain where this federated instance is running
+    #[builder(setter(into))]
+    pub(crate) domain: String,
+    /// Data which the application requires in handlers, such as database connection
+    /// or configuration.
+    pub(crate) app_data: T,
+    /// Maximum number of outgoing HTTP requests per incoming HTTP request. See
+    /// [crate::fetch::object_id::ObjectId] for more details.
+    #[builder(default = "20")]
+    pub(crate) http_fetch_limit: u32,
+    #[builder(default = "reqwest::Client::default().into()")]
+    /// HTTP client used for all outgoing requests. Middleware can be used to add functionality
+    /// like log tracing or retry of failed requests.
+    pub(crate) client: ClientWithMiddleware,
+    /// Number of worker threads for sending outgoing activities
+    #[builder(default = "64")]
+    pub(crate) worker_count: u64,
+    /// Run library in debug mode. This allows usage of http and localhost urls. It also sends
+    /// outgoing activities synchronously, not in background thread. This helps to make tests
+    /// more consistent. Do not use for production.
+    #[builder(default = "false")]
+    pub(crate) debug: bool,
+    /// Timeout for all HTTP requests. HTTP signatures are valid for 10s, so it makes sense to
+    /// use the same as timeout when sending
+    #[builder(default = "Duration::from_secs(10)")]
+    pub(crate) request_timeout: Duration,
+    /// Enable to sign HTTP signatures according to draft 10, which does not include (created) and
+    /// (expires) fields. This is required for compatibility with some software like Pleroma.
+    /// <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cavage-http-signatures-10>
+    /// <https://git.pleroma.social/pleroma/pleroma/-/issues/2939>
+    #[builder(default = "false")]
+    pub(crate) http_signature_compat: bool,
+    // Queue for sending outgoing activities. Only optional to make builder work, its always
+    // present once constructed.
+    // #[builder(setter(skip))]
+    // pub(crate) activity_queue: Option<Arc<Manager>>,
+}
+
+impl<T: Clone> FederationConfig<T> {
+    /// Returns a new config builder with default values.
+    pub fn builder() -> FederationConfigBuilder<T> {
+        FederationConfigBuilder::default()
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) async fn verify_url_and_domain<Activity, Datatype>(
+        &self,
+        activity: &Activity,
+    ) -> Result<(), Error>
+    where
+        Activity: ActivityHandler<DataType = Datatype> + DeserializeOwned + Send + 'static,
+    {
+        verify_domains_match(activity.id(), activity.actor())?;
+        self.verify_url_valid(activity.id()).await?;
+        if self.is_local_url(activity.id()) {
+            return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError(
+                "Activity was sent from local instance",
+            ));
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Create new [Data] from this. You should prefer to use a middleware if possible.
+    pub fn to_request_data(&self) -> Data<T> {
+        Data {
+            config: self.clone(),
+            request_counter: Default::default(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Perform some security checks on URLs as mentioned in activitypub spec, and call user-supplied
+    /// [`InstanceSettings.verify_url_function`].
+    ///
+    /// https://www.w3.org/TR/activitypub/#security-considerations
+    pub(crate) async fn verify_url_valid(&self, url: &Url) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        match url.scheme() {
+            "https" => {}
+            "http" => {
+                if !self.debug {
+                    return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError(
+                        "Http urls are only allowed in debug mode",
+                    ));
+                }
+            }
+            _ => return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError("Invalid url scheme")),
+        };
+
+        // Urls which use our local domain are not a security risk, no further verification needed
+        if self.is_local_url(url) {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        if url.domain().is_none() {
+            return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError("Url must have a domain"));
+        }
+
+        if url.domain() == Some("localhost") && !self.debug {
+            return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError(
+                "Localhost is only allowed in debug mode",
+            ));
+        }
+
+        self.url_verifier
+            .verify(url)
+            .await
+            .map_err(Error::UrlVerificationError)?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Returns true if the url refers to this instance. Handles hostnames like `localhost:8540` for
+    /// local debugging.
+    pub(crate) fn is_local_url(&self, url: &Url) -> bool {
+        let mut domain = url.domain().expect("id has domain").to_string();
+        if let Some(port) = url.port() {
+            domain = format!("{}:{}", domain, port);
+        }
+        domain == self.domain
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the local domain
+    pub fn domain(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.domain
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: Clone> FederationConfigBuilder<T> {
+    /// Constructs a new config instance with the values supplied to builder.
+    ///
+    /// Values which are not explicitly specified use the defaults. Also initializes the
+    /// queue for outgoing activities, which is stored internally in the config struct.
+    pub fn build(&mut self) -> Result<FederationConfig<T>, FederationConfigBuilderError> {
+        let mut config = self.partial_build()?;
+        let stats_handler = background_jobs::metrics::install().ok();
+        config.queue_metrics = if let Some(stats) = stats_handler {
+            Some(Arc::new(stats))
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+        let queue = create_activity_queue(
+            config.client.clone(),
+            config.worker_count,
+            config.request_timeout,
+            config.debug,
+            config.queue_db.to_owned(),
+        );
+        config.activity_queue = Some(Arc::new(queue));
+        Ok(config)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: Clone> Deref for FederationConfig<T> {
+    type Target = T;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        &self.app_data
+    }
+}
+
+/// Stores data for handling one specific HTTP request.
+///
+/// It gives acess to the `app_data` which was passed to [FederationConfig::builder].
+///
+/// Additionally it contains a counter for outgoing HTTP requests. This is necessary to
+/// prevent denial of service attacks, where an attacker triggers fetching of recursive objects.
+///
+/// <https://www.w3.org/TR/activitypub/#security-recursive-objects>
+pub struct Data<T: Clone> {
+    pub(crate) config: FederationConfig<T>,
+    pub(crate) request_counter: AtomicU32,
+}
+
+impl<T: Clone> Data<T> {
+    /// Returns the data which was stored in [FederationConfigBuilder::app_data]
+    pub fn app_data(&self) -> &T {
+        &self.config.app_data
+    }
+
+    /// The domain that was configured in [FederationConfig].
+    pub fn domain(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.config.domain
+    }
+
+    /// Returns a new instance of `Data` with request counter set to 0.
+    pub fn reset_request_count(&self) -> Self {
+        Data {
+            config: self.config.clone(),
+            request_counter: Default::default(),
+        }
+    }
+    /// Total number of outgoing HTTP requests made with this data.
+    pub fn request_count(&self) -> u32 {
+        self.request_counter.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: Clone> Deref for Data<T> {
+    type Target = T;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &T {
+        &self.config.app_data
+    }
+}
+
+/// Middleware for HTTP handlers which provides access to [Data]
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct FederationMiddleware<T: Clone>(pub(crate) FederationConfig<T>);
+
+impl<T: Clone> FederationMiddleware<T> {
+    /// Construct a new middleware instance
+    pub fn new(config: FederationConfig<T>) -> Self {
+        FederationMiddleware(config)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/mod.rs b/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/mod.rs
index eddbd04152..454641e63a 100644
--- a/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/backend/crates/activitypub/src/federation/mod.rs
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+mod config;
 mod error;
 mod protocol;