Nostr: A simple, decentralised, open protocol that enables a truly censorship-resistant and global social network

Nostr (acronym for Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) is a protocol that connects clients via relays to exchanges notes (posts). Anyone can run a relay if they wish. A user is identified by a public key (not an e-mail address, user ID or phone number). Posts are particularly resistant to censorship and are cryptographically validated.

Nostr is decentralised and not owned by a centralised service (like Twitter). This means that the direction of the protocol is up to all of us! We can suggest and advocate for changes and offer feedback on ideas suggested by others. Being an active part of the community gives you a say in the direction of the network.

Nostr is a protocol in the same way that the AT protocol (used by Bluesky) and ActivityPub (by Mastodon, PixelFed, and other Fediverse clients) are protocols, but the protocol differs in what and how it communicates between clients. One of Nostr’s main innovations is its concept of relays, software that sends, receives, and stores text messages. Right now, there is ongoing debate about which protocols are best, which are most open, will scale best, and whether that protocol is unduly influenced by one bigger partner.

As of April 2023, Nostr has 1.1 million users. Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, endorses and financially supported the development of Nostr. US Senator Cynthia Lummis and Ethereum’s creator Vitalik Buterin are among its early adopters.

Nostr is a protocol only, so no server or client application.

A user can choose various clients to connect to Nostr, from web, iOS, Android, and even desktop apps. The user’s public key is what is common across the clients as the identifier everyone will see. As there is no link to e-mail etc for resetting access, that public key and the private key are essential to retaining your identity on the network, or for using additional client applications. Without the private key, you cannot use that same identity on other client apps.

To get going on the Nostr social network:
1. Choose any Nostr client app / website
2. Register and note public key AND private key (websites may show under account settings)
3. Put what you want in your profile
4. Start posting

See https://nostr.com/
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