A key instead of an account
On Nostr, you have control over your identity. You have a public key that you share with others so they can follow you, and a private key that you keep secret. The private key is used to sign your messages, so your contacts can trust that it’s really you who wrote them. Only the person with the private key can read messages encrypted with the public key, making communication between you and your contacts secure and private.
Your public key (your so-called npub) is what you share with others. Your private key (your so-called nsec) is kept safe and secure.
Warning
Any system with access to your private key increases the risk of attacks. Your private key should therefore be kept as isolated as possible. A signing application can help with this (see the table below).
More choices thanks to openness
In the early days of Twitter, there were many third-party clients that users could use to access the service. But Twitter/X eventually shut down the APIs for these clients, making it impossible for them to function as before. Nostr gives you the freedom to choose how you want to experience the network. You’re no longer locked into a single app or website, but can instead choose from a range of clients that offer different features and interfaces. Below are some popular clients. For a more detailed overview, we recommend visiting awesome-nostr , where you’ll find a comprehensive collection of information and resources about Nostr.
Table. Some popular clients
| iOS | Android | Chrome/Brave | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client | Primal , Damus | Primal , Amethyst | Primal , Iris.to |
| Signing application | Nostore | Amber | nos2x , Alby , Nostr Connect , keys.band |
A simple technology, with new possibilities
The technology behind Nostr is surprisingly simple. Each identity consists of a key pair, a public and a private key. Data is then shared and stored on an open and global market of relays, which function as servers. These relays forward messages, so-called “Events”, which are cryptographically signed JSON strings. The simplicity itself likely contributes to the rapid development.
Nostr opens up possibilities for a range of positive changes. The technology may be simple, but its effects can be far-reaching:
- Increased competition between different platforms and services, leading to a better experience for users
- We can choose which algorithms we want to use, giving us increased sovereignty over our own data and information flow
- Nostr has built-in support for Lightning payments, making it possible to carry out microtransactions and other transactions in a smooth and secure way
- This leads to the principle of “value for value”, where creators and publishers can get paid for their content in real-time
- Nostr’s cryptography and “web of trust” mean that instead of relying on central nodes, we can rely on each other in a decentralized way
- With Nostr’s open platform, we can build systems that take into account both our own activity and our friends’ and acquaintances’ activity. This makes it possible to create entirely new types of recommendation systems that are more trustworthy and relevant to us as users
- Nostr already enables decentralized trade, where transactions can be carried out without unnecessary intermediaries
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