At its launch, Ning was a free-form platform for the development and hosting of open-source "social applications". The source code for Ning applications was available to users so that anyone could fork a Ning application, modify its PHP code and run it as their own. In late September 2006, Ning narrowed its focus to offering a group website, a photos website, and a videos website for people to copy and use for any purpose. These three templates were later superseded by a single customizable application aimed at enabling anyone to easily create their own social network. This format proved popular amongst groups who wanted to create social media communities away from the popular platforms.