@ The Nostr Review

**GM, Nostriches!** The Nostr Review is a biweekly newsletter focused on Nostr statistics, protocol updates, exciting programs, the long-form content ecosystem, and key events happening in the Nostr-verse. If you’re interested, join me in covering updates from the Nostr ecosystem! **Quick review:** In the past two weeks, Nostr statistics indicate over 234,000 daily trusted pubkey events.The number of new users has seen a significant increase. Profiles with contact list amount is five times the amount from the same period. Public writing events have reflected a 200% increase. More than 10 million events have been published, with posts leading in volume at around 1.9 million, representing a significant 42% decrease. Total Zap activity stands at approximately 6 million, marking a 44% decline. Additionally, 19 pull requests were submitted to the Nostr protocol, with 7 merged. A total of 45 Nostr projects were tracked, with 15 releasing product updates, and over 450 long-form articles were published, 32% focusing on Bitcoin and Nostr. During this period, 1 notable event took place, and 1 significant event is upcoming. **Nostr Statistics** --- Based on user activity, the total daily trusted pubkeys writing events is about 234,000, representing a slight 4.3% increase compared to the previous period. Daily activity peaked at 18862 events, with a low of approximately 17329. The number of new users has seen a significant increase. Profiles with contact list amount to approximately 16,898, which is five times the amount from the same period. Pubkeys writing events total around 276,000, reflecting a 200% increase compared to the same period. Regarding event publishing, the total number of note events published is about 10 million, marking an increase of above 10%. Posts remain the most dominant in terms of volume, totaling approximately 1.9 million, reflecting a notable increase of 42%. Reposts stand at around 344,000, showing an increase of approximately 5.1%, while reactions have experienced a slight 3.2% decline. For zap activity, the total zap amount is about 6 million, showing a decrease of over 44% compared to the previous period. In terms of relay usage, the top five relays by user count are: wss://feeds.nostr.band/, wss://relay..nostr.band/, wss://bostr.bitcointxoko.com/, wss://relay.lumina.rocks/, wss://unostr.site/ Data source: https://stats.nostr.band/ **NIPs** --- **[Adds Open Graph “iMeta” tags](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1674)** nostr:npub1gcxzte5zlkncx26j68ez60fzkvtkm9e0vrwdcvsjakxf9mu9qewqlfnj5z is proposing that media attachments (images, videos, and other files) may be added to events by including a URL in the event content, along with a matching imeta tag.imeta ("inline metadata") tags add information about media URLs in the event's content. Each imeta tag SHOULD match a URL in the event content. Clients may replace imeta URLs with rich previews. The imeta tag is variadic, and each entry is a space-delimited key/value pair. Each imeta tag MUST have a url, and at least one other field. imeta may include any field specified by [NIP 94](https://github.com/vitorpamplona/nips/blob/iopengraph/94.md). There SHOULD be only one imeta tag per URL. **[NIP 404 - Ghost Events](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1676)** [gu1p](https://github.com/gu1p) introduces Ghost Events—a protocol for creating events that are plausibly deniable with an ephemeral nature, providing a weak binding to the author's identity. It leverages ring signatures, elliptic curve point-hashing, and a distance-based proof-of-work that references Bitcoin block hashes for chronological anchoring. **[NIP-88: DLC oracle announcement/attestation event kinds](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1681)** nostr:npub1l6uy9chxyn943cmylrmukd3uqdq8h623nt2gxfh4rruhdv64zpvsx6zvtg is proposing that this is meant to be a scope-reduced version of #919 to allow Discrete Log Contract (DLC) oracle announcements and attestations to be published over Nostr，omitted the DLC offer/accept/encrypted messages that are in #919 and instead focusing only on oracle gossip messages, so that oracles can start using Nostr as an interoperable publishing medium for attestation data. There is upstream work still going on and he don't think they should standardize some of the messages in #919 because the current DLC specs imply the use of ECDSA signatures, without aggregation. The oracle messages though are about as efficient as they can expect them to be, and as oracles form the foundation of a DLC ecosystem they should be prioritized. **[Add nip for delegated aggregate signature verification](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1682)** nostr:npub1jlrs53pkdfjnts29kveljul2sm0actt6n8dxrrzqcersttvcuv3qdjynqn introduces a new verb which can be used to provide a proof via zk-SNARKs to clients that event signatures are valid, without providing the signatures. This allows for some level of deniability, and prevents protected events from being replicated across the network, without requiring users to blindly trust relays. **[add restricted to standardized machine-readable prefixes](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1685)** [ZigBalthazar](https://github.com/ZigBalthazar) is proposing that the restricted prefix is useful in situations where an individual is not whitelisted to write on a relay or has been banned from it. For example, Immortal ([websocket/event_handler.go#L125](https://github.com/dezh-tech/immortal/blob/f0829316f3ea8af478e34cd04ed6c550bdd93559/delivery/websocket/event_handler.go#L125)) uses a restricted prefix to send a message when someone who is not whitelisted tries to write on the relay, provided that the whitelist feature is enabled in the configurations. **[Zapraisers](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1688)** nostr:npub1gcxzte5zlkncx26j68ez60fzkvtkm9e0vrwdcvsjakxf9mu9qewqlfnj5z is proposing that adds a tag to be used in any event as a goal for the amount of zaps to be raised by that event.This has been out on Amethyst for 1.5 years now. The field complements NIP-75 fundraisers used by fundraising sites. **[NIP-60: clarify privkey is optional](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1695)** nostr:npub1gujeqakgt7fyp6zjggxhyy7ft623qtcaay5lkc8n8gkry4cvnrzqd3f67z is proposing that redeeming or spending a Cashu with a spending condition requires a corresponding private key to sign the proof. In the context of Nostr, this private key can be the user's own Nostr private key or another private key, not related to the user's Nostr private key. if the client is using the user's own Nostr private key, then the privkey tag wouldn't be needed. **[nostr over reticulum initial draft](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1696)** nostr:npub1gmm2ehusvs35zgh6pq84m8hkj4ea0ygy3c9j2e3slzhjjce3kmns5tdaz2 defines how to implement Nostr relay connections over the Reticulum Network Stack, allowing nostr clients and relays to communicate over Reticulum networks instead of traditional WebSocket connections. Nostr over Reticulum (NoR) enables nostr clients and relays to operate over Reticulum's encrypted mesh networking stack while maintaining full compatibility with existing nostr protocols and NIPs. **Notable Projects** --- **[Damus](https://yakihonne.com/article/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzq3qcntalp5jhzm0x4aunm3suzylv74skvjqezt8pfss99kmz7wtvqqpzutsp6rexg)** nostr:npub1gsvf47ls6ft3dhn277faccwpz0k02ctxfqv39ns5cgzjmd3089kqmza4pt * Add t tags for hashtags * Use HashSet, lowercase, and add emoji tests * Add test and format * Fix emoji hashtags * Handle punctuation better * Show pointer cursor on grip * Adjust context menu/grip circle sizes * Fix double frame border * Extract timing from AppSizeHandler to TimedSerializer * Use TimedSerializer in AppSizeHandler * Introduce ZoomHandler * And more **[Primal for Android build 2.0.36](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsqamjd0v5gttmldpndkex73m2ctdr4wgndux06kkhmksltmuaf0fczyqfr47h86xrm5dkkmhxe0kl54nze4ml7yslhsfvjl78jtm2hnhesvqcyqqqqqqg7mrnj9)** nostr:npub12vkcxr0luzwp8e673v29eqjhrr7p9vqq8asav85swaepclllj09sylpugg The latest version of our Android app, v2.0.36, is now available on the Google Play Store and GitHub. Bug Fix: Addressed an issue where some users were unable to zap certain accounts using the built-in wallet. **[0xchat App v1.4.6](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qgs9ajjs5p904ml92evlkayppdpx2n3zdrq6ejnw2wqphxrzmd62swsqypf9auejksl23zwwklygpscc96sngfw9jfv9n4dp3w02t6mku0vvyjrdqsa)** nostr:npub1tm99pgz2lth724jeld6gzz6zv48zy6xp4n9xu5uqrwvx9km54qaqkkxn72 * Added reactions and mention notification button to chats. Clicking the button will navigate to the specific chat message. * Long press the "Like" button on moments to select an emoji. * Fixed an issue where sending voice messages in Secret Chat failed. * Resolved incorrect time display for e cash transactions. * Addressed a bug with video message reactions. * Fixed an occasional issue where moments could not subscribe to updates. * Resolved rendering issues for certain notes. * Fixed a problem where clicking on custom emoji reactions didn’t send the reaction properly. * Fixed some typos. **[Yakihonne](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsp0zn70fpfx8hjglr78nvau84jzn7yfgcqlwls33lpltpqvch6zeczyqsfsmac8em4m9k33r99e803pnndvylqadl9w69q7zcjkd7d4ssmxqcyqqqqqqgk6pw8g)** nostr:npub1yzvxlwp7wawed5vgefwfmugvumtp8c8t0etk3g8sky4n0ndvyxesnxrf8q **Web v4.2.3:** * Added support for uploading multiple images or videos in notes, comments, and messages. * Refined the search mechanism for better accuracy and performance. * General bug fixes and improvements. **[Nostur v1.17.0](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqszysrzd432g3epdmv2f8t60nrxlzevrjppnrj6k2n88kwjtrsgmuczyzd7p0s0cpu4fq3nyvtpfe8palyl9zcdkwvqz8h7anc9letsuhwnxqcyqqqqqqgp5lcdm)** nostr:npub1n0stur7q092gyverzc2wfc00e8egkrdnnqq3alhv7p072u89m5es5mk6h0 * Sync already seen/read across multiple devices * New 😂-feed * Support new Olas/picture format (viewing) * Support Frost/multi-sig login * Support for .heic image format in posts * Show extra autopilot relays used on Post Preview (default off) * Login with nip05 (read-only) * Undelete button for deleted posts * Optimized local database performance * Many other bug fixes and performance improvements **[nos.social](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsq0azuq4gu0327h9lvy3z5xftkgdd7dl8wjsmjpkjtdpuu07xl7kszyq8j9srw4sgqy6zwlnrg7459gr5rgtgkp82s30x5xykq8rnpjnutvqcyqqqqqqgpxm29x)** nostr:npub1pu3vqm4vzqpxsnhuc684dp2qaq6z69sf65yte4p39spcucv5lzmqswtfch Here’s the full set of changes in this version: * Added lists to the app so you can see feeds from specific accounts you've added to the list. You can create your lists with listr and view their feeds from the Nos app. * Nos now publishes the hashtags it finds in your note when you post. This means it works the way you’ve always expected it to work. * Updated the default relays that are added when you create an account. * Fixed display of Mastodon usernames * Fixed crash related to tracking delete events. **[DEG mods](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqs0vx08kmyd3patpwxc7kyp9zhk3wze7z4cpzt0zkjelz0j9sfwf9gzyr6t78a4h297sw0hp3enzue7xz0hszpzkvglv0spl8wg4wa59rud2qcyqqqqqqg6s7zh4)** nostr:npub17jl3ldd6305rnacvwvchx03snauqsg4nz8mruq0emj9thdpglr2sst825x * Local caching of field data in mod and blog submission * Source view & Difference view modes in the rich text editor * Hidden posts, by either admin or user, now show a note about it when visiting the post * Mod downloads will show a notice note if the download link isn't a file / if it directs the user to another page * Mod posts without a malware scan report link will show a note informing the user of it (even if it's there, the user should still need to be cautious) * Report button now only appears if the user is logged in (to be further enhanced later down the line) * Old mod posts can be editable again without issue, with an error shown if something is wrong for the user to fix * If a mod post (later blog post) gets stuck while publishing, a timer kicks in that'll lead to a 'try again' option that usually publishes the post correctly * Tip/Zap buttons will only appear if the author has an LN address in their profile (shouldn't have been visible) * Posts marked as 'repost' will have that tag shown in the mod card in the landing page's "Latest Mods" section (it didn't appear before) **[Amber 3.1.0](https://yakihonne.com/article/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpmhrj8hvx4g76gaevyp8mc34ts8jmzdf9wh5nrvmwjrrw7xsh97zqqgxvenzxuurvc3cvv6xxvfjxcmkgz4mwea)** nostr:npub1am3ermkr250dywukzqnaug64cred3x5jht6f3kdhfp3h0rgtjlpqecxrv7 * Fix bunker requests showing up again after accepting * Move bunker and nostr connect to its own files * Fix a infinite loop when receiving bunker requests * Show relays after the app is connected * Recover service when app crashes * Update quartz dependency * Fix ui contrast when using dark theme **[AlbyHub 1.13](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqs9vgnkjz3u9t9yjspndvj5ykxw5j737kk75pph3k9r7eydzq9rt8czypr90hlgjed73xq2jvrjhna4ukdx2yjyqmdslqvjzhh83wj8jd9nuqcyqqqqqqgvgylzn)** nostr:npub1getal6ykt05fsz5nqu4uld09nfj3y3qxmv8crys4aeut53unfvlqr80nfm * Auto-unlock for self-hosted hubs * Provide closing channel tx details * NEW APP: Zapplanner * NEW APP: Simple Boost * NEW APP: Clams.tech * various improvements and fixes! **[WasabiWallet 2.4.0](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsq4m323pxn33y36l8lhm9pmc46a0x5vm6f0zex2cqzjpskmnc6ktczyzfm6rr08n96u3ec3vq6cm8qktqpxy2defxq34hzwyk5lac5qk3uxqcyqqqqqqguwva6e)** nostr:npub1jw7scmeuewhywwytqxkxec9jcqf3znw2fsyddcn3948lw9q950ps9y35fg * Send to Silent Payment addresses * Donation Button * Switch to TestNet 4 * Release Notes in the client **[Zapstore 0.2.0](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsvxyjp03x43t4ry6xvx2mn3x2whqgyjlnft7gqfnsu88qyvsc4kegzypuvuma2wgny8pegfej8hf5n3x2hxhkgcl2utfjhxlj4zv8sycc86qcyqqqqqqge9rlts)** nostr:npub10r8xl2njyepcw2zwv3a6dyufj4e4ajx86hz6v4ehu4gnpupxxp7stjt2p8 0.2.0 is out with support for signing in with Amber (NIP-55) and zaps via Nostr Wallet Connect. **[Narr release v0.3.2](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsqqq9h24wylffrf9f5n0rzaz790m5d05unhdkegkze4ja4vvdjxsqzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqqqqqgmh8m8k)** nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 New Narr release v0.3.2 fixes all the problems with articles updating, insufficiently-rendered Markdown, Nostr usernames not loading, and makes everything better. It supports all sorts of RSS feed discovery from HTTP URLs and renders them beautifully in a simple straightforward interface, you can also paste nostr:... URIs, including nip05, npub and nprofile codes (they should also work without the nostr: prefix). **[ZEUS v0.9.5](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsdckxpg09kkk423mkuderrp33uenlleswct6nu7lxrt83l3ygp64gzyqkesuajt0edmfs5z6zdgn27ka40t8ckw7y2tr3k82ckw8l0a6rlyqcyqqqqqqgyjme39)** nostr:npub1xnf02f60r9v0e5kty33a404dm79zr7z2eepyrk5gsq3m7pwvsz2sazlpr5 * Embedded LND: Seed: allow export of ypriv/zpriv (export to external wallets like Sparrow) * CLNRest: add ability to use all funds for channel open * Improve lurker mode * Improve display of memos and keysend messages * Allow return key for password login * Automatically include routing hints if node has only unannounced channels * Wallets list: better highlighting of active mode * Enhance on-chain receive workflow and address type selection * Migration to new storage system * Layout improvements * Bug fixes **[Citrine 0.7.0](https://yakihonne.com/article/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpwp7d7pfaxe7pulc3hphc2fflkf3fv4l0gaug0f9u63q8feuya6cqqgxxcty8qurwdnzvycxzwt9xcenqqg6k78)** nostr:npub1hqlxlq57nvlq70ugmsmu9y5lmyc5k2lh5w7y85j7dgsr5u7zwavq5agspw * Update quartz dependency * Check if events are deleted * Recover service after crash * Add back button in the events screen * Fix delete old events * Fix backup dialog showing up again **[Nstart](https://yakihonne.com/notes/nevent1qqsqqqp70h0sxn3mlradqmzv585t9ape055wyj2uutqqs6q42zzdggczypaaaaa7ytwcuk05vq8qgj498gw0jadfm37j0h6cxw780kmcffvq2qcyqqqqqqgdr0962)** nostr:npub10000003zmk89narqpczy4ff6rnuht2wu05na7kpnh3mak7z2tqzsv8vwqk * Easy local backup of your nsec or ncryptsec * Email yourself your ncryptsec, as additional backup location * Create a multi-signer bunker URL for Nostr Connect (more info below) * Auto follow the contacts list of some old and trusted Nostr users * Customize of contact suggestions, useful for onboarding friends & family **Long-Form Content Eco** --- In the past two weeks, more than 450 long-form articles have been published, including over 119 articles on Bitcoin and more than 25 related to Nostr, accounting for 32% of the total content. These articles about Nostr mainly explore the transformative potential of the decentralized protocol, emphasizing its role in reshaping communication and finance, particularly in the context of Bitcoin adoption. They cover technical aspects, like setting up Nostr servers on platforms such as RaspiBlitz using TOR, and discuss its cultural and social impact, such as the evolution of echo chambers and comparisons with other decentralized platforms like Mastodon. The articles reflect on the opportunities and challenges Nostr presents, including privacy concerns, censorship resistance, and its potential to disrupt traditional social media. They also highlight Nostr's growing importance in the gig economy and its potential as a key alternative as users seek decentralized platforms. Furthermore, the articles underscore the dynamic nature of the ecosystem, with communities, relays, and services like Notedeck unlocking new possibilities for collaboration and innovation. The Bitcoin articles discuss a wide range of topics related to Bitcoin's role in the financial world, its technological advancements, and its impact on society. They explore the implications of Bitcoin halving, the mysteries surrounding Satoshi Nakamoto and his wallets, and the evolving dynamics of Bitcoin's relationship with fiat currencies. Key themes include the decentralization of financial systems, Bitcoin's potential as a safe haven against economic instability, and its transformative power in the face of traditional banking. The articles also delve into Bitcoin's growing institutional adoption, its use in privacy preservation, and the rise of Bitcoin in global markets such as Dubai and China. Additionally, they touch on the philosophical and ethical considerations of Bitcoin, exploring its potential to bring about a financial revolution while challenging the status quo of centralized systems. Through varied perspectives, the articles highlight Bitcoin as a tool for financial freedom, privacy, and a revolutionary shift in global economic power. Thankyou, nostr:npub1qspus6smkn8mcdxg5jflh50s69vdgtwsd5p74gmjpzp2qekn5duqfv5afj nostr:npub1g5rwqnjtwpuuuplr36v82eu2sxkn8fzkc6tdwz8036dzmrqkhgzqm6qq0t nostr:npub1zsw6mhf4rapy9rfxpsrf9hza96jdkl74zsvhvr6qfxfpx80cpgls4q6wsn nostr:npub1864jglrrhv6alguwql9pqtmd5296nww5dpcewapmmcazk8vq4mks0tt2tq nostr:npub18ams6ewn5aj2n3wt2qawzglx9mr4nzksxhvrdc4gzrecw7n5tvjqctp424 nostr:npub1da7m2ksdj24995hm8afv88pjpvzt6t9vh70mg8t52yjwtxza3vjszyar58 nostr:npub1g8ag22auywa5c5de6w9ujenpyhrrp9qq8sjzram02xldttmmwurqfd0hqk nostr:npub1harur8s4wmwzgrugwdmrd9gcv6zzfkzfmp36xu4tel0ces7j2uas3gcqdy nostr:npub1mqcwu7muxz3kfvfyfdme47a579t8x0lm3jrjx5yxuf4sknnpe43q7rnz85 nostr:npub1zmg3gvpasgp3zkgceg62yg8fyhqz9sy3dqt45kkwt60nkctyp9rs9wyppc nostr:npub1marc26z8nh3xkj5rcx7ufkatvx6ueqhp5vfw9v5teq26z254renshtf3g0 nostr:npub1l8qw5av3039qhefprytlm7fg8kyyc0luy8yk2prk2l8wc38gf86qzw7nnm and others, for your work. Enriching Nostr’s long-form content ecosystem is crucial. Nostriches Global Meet Ups --- Recently, several Nostr events have been hosted in different countries. * **[The 32nd Round Rock Bitcoiners meetup](https://www.meetup.com/round-rock-bitcoin-node-runners/events/305266210/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=announceModal_savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link)** successfully took place on January 10, 2025, at the Allen R. Baca Center, featuring the second Base58 Bitcoin Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) event. Participants delved into the mechanisms of sending and receiving Bitcoin transactions, mining, and node validation. Following the session, attendees headed to the historic downtown Round Rock for a Bitcoin Happy Hour and engaged in peer-to-peer Satoshi Square economic exchanges. nostr:npub17ysayggwumkpkpgsq75axd7ed9guw03wz9jldz5d0zrkgz0cja2qd09tzu Here are the upcoming Nostr events that you might want to check out. * **[The Austin Bitcoin Design Club event]([https:/](https://www.meetup.com/austin-bitcoin-design-club/events/304967482/?eventOrigin=group_similar_events)/)** will be held on January 30, 2025, hosted at Bitcoin Commons. The event aims to enhance Bitcoin design through education, participation, and a positive atmosphere, encouraging attendees to bring laptops for design critiques. The event is hosted by nostr:npub1p4kg8zxukpym3h20erfa3samj00rm2gt4q5wfuyu3tg0x3jg3gesvncxf8 Additionally, We warmly invite event organizers who have held recent activities to reach out to us so we can work together to promote the prosperity and development of the Nostr ecosystem. Thanks for reading! If there’s anything I missed, feel free to reach out and help improve the completeness and accuracy of my coverage.