Nostr
Nostr
Decentralized social networking protocol
Nostr is a decentralized network protocol for a distributed social networking system. The name is an acronym for "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays". It was designed with goals of censorship-resistance in mind.[2]
| Communication protocol | |
| Abbreviation | Nostr |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Social Networking |
| Developer(s) | fiatjaf |
| Introduction | March 2020; 4 years ago (2020-03)[1] |
| Port(s) | 443, 80 |
| Website | nostr |
The first known implementation of the Nostr protocol dates back to Nov 7th 2020, created by a developer known as fiatjaf. [1] fiatjaf is widely credited as the creator of Nostr.
As of April 2023, Nostr was primarily popular with Bitcoin users.[3] Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, endorses and has financially supported the development of Nostr by donating approximately $250,000 worth of bitcoin to the developers of the project.[3][4]
In January 2023 Nostr reached 100,000 users.[citation needed]
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As an Open protocol and FOSS project, Nostr allows for multiple different front-ends for the same data. Multiple Nostr clients exist.[5]
The protocol's primary form of data transport is the use of a standardized kind of WebSocket server called a Relay.[6] Each user has a cryptographic keypair.[6] Data on the Nostr protocol is stored in JSON blobs called Events, which are the only kind of object on the Nostr protocol.[7][6]
Different extensions to the Nostr protocol are called "NIPs", for Nostr Implementation Possibilities.[8] One of these provides integration of Nostr with the Lightning Network that operates on the Bitcoin blockchain, allowing Nostr users to send and request cryptocurrency payments (called "Zaps") to and from other users.[9]
 | This section contains content that is written like an advertisement. (March 2024) |
Nostr was created in response to increased internet censorship and social media restrictions in 2020. It claims to be censorship resistant.[10] Some Nostr apps have been banned in China.[11][12]
- ActivityPub – Decentralized social networking protocol
- Bluesky (social network) – Decentralized social media network
- Mastodon (social network) – Self-hosted social network software
- OStatus – Open microblogging protocol
- Webmention – open, decentralized social web notification standardPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
- Internet censorship
- nostr - Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays, nostr-protocol, January 6, 2024, retrieved January 6, 2024
- Torpey, Kyle (February 21, 2023). "Here's why Bitcoiners are flocking to Nostr, a social network supported by Jack Dorsey and Edward Snowden". Fortune. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
- Schreckinger, Ben; Robertson, Derek (April 10, 2023). "Jack Dorsey explains his new obsession". Politico.
- "Clients - Docs". nostr.com. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- "Events - Docs". nostr.com. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- "What are Zaps?". nostr.how. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- Castiglione, Chris (April 11, 2023). "Nostr Decentralized Social Network". Forbes. Forbes.
- Reynolds, Sam (February 3, 2023). "Nostr's Damus App Banned From China App Store". Yahoo Finance.
