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.[1]
| Communication protocol | |
| Abbreviation | Nostr |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Social Networking |
| Developer(s) | fiatjaf |
| Introduction | March 2020[2] |
| Port(s) | 443, 80 |
The first known implementation of the Nostr protocol dates back to Nov 7 2020, created by a developer known as fiatjaf. [2] fiatjaf is widely credited as the creator of Nostr.
Users
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.
Open protocol
As an open protocol and FOSS project, Nostr allows for multiple different front-ends for the same data. Multiple Nostr clients exist.[5] Different extensions to the Nostr protocol are called "NIPs", for Nostr Implementation Possibilities.[6] The protocol's primary form of data transport is the use of a standardized kind of WebSocket server called a Relay.[7] Each user has a cryptographic keypair.[7]
Data on the Nostr protocol is stored in JSON blobs called Events, which are the only kind of object on the Nostr protocol.[8][7]
Censorship resistant
Nostr was created in response to increased internet censorship and social media restrictions in 2020. It claims to be censorship resistant[9]. Some Nostr apps have been banned in China[10][11].
See also
- ActivityPub – Decentralized social networking protocol
- Bluesky (social network) – Social media network and decentralized protocol
- Mastodon (social network) – Self-hosted social network software
- OStatus – Open microblogging protocol
- Webmention – open, decentralized social web notification standard
- Internet censorship
References
- ↑ nostr - Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays, nostr-protocol, January 6, 2024, retrieved January 6, 2024
- 1 2 "basic server relay code. · nostr-protocol/nostr@6158017 · GitHub".
- 1 2 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.
- ↑ "GitHub - nostr-protocol/nips: Nostr Implementation Possibilities".
- 1 2 3 "nips/01.md at master · nostr-protocol/nips · GitHub".
- ↑ "Events - Docs". nostr.com. Retrieved January 6, 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.
- ↑ "Removal of Damus social media platform from China App Store was 'expected' by developers amid Beijing's strict censorship". SCMP. SCMP. February 6, 2023.