##\ ##\ ## | ## | #######\ ##\ ##\ ######\####\ #######\ #######\ ######\ ######\ ## __##\ ## | ## |## _## _##\ ## _____|## __##\ \____##\\_## _| ## | ## |## | ## |## / ## / ## |## / ## | ## | ####### | ## | ## | ## |## | ## |## | ## | ## |## | ## | ## |## __## | ## |##\ ## | ## |\####### |## | ## | ## |\#######\ ## | ## |\####### | \#### | \__| \__| \____## |\__| \__| \__| \_______|\__| \__| \_______| \____/ ##\ ## | \###### | \______/

Decentralized. Anonymous. Unstoppable.

Ephemeral identities. Censorship-resistant. No registration, no accounts.

Pick a nym and join a public regular or geohash channel or start a private, end-to-end encrypted group chat or direct message and be part of the revolution.
                                            ##\                  ##\
                                            ## |                 ## |
#######\  ##\   ##\ ######\####\   #######\ #######\   ######\ ######\
##  __##\ ## |  ## |##  _##  _##\ ##  _____|##  __##\  \____##\\_##  _|
## |  ## |## |  ## |## / ## / ## |## /      ## |  ## | ####### | ## |
## |  ## |## |  ## |## | ## | ## |## |      ## |  ## |##  __## | ## |##\
## |  ## |\####### |## | ## | ## |\#######\ ## |  ## |\####### | \####  |
\__|  \__| \____## |\__| \__| \__| \_______|\__|  \__| \_______|  \____/
          ##\   ## |
          \######  |
           \______/

Features

Built for freedom, designed for privacy

Ephemeral Identities

Auto-generated temporary keypairs and random nickname per session for true anonymity. Session-only nyms leave no trace.

Decentralized Network

Distributed across hundreds of community-operated Nostr relays worldwide. No single point of failure, no central authority.

Censorship Resistant

Messages propagate across a global relay network. No government, corporation, or individual can shut it down.

Multiple Channels

Regular and location-based ephemeral channels using geohash codes, bridged with Bitchat for cross-platform communication.

Encrypted Messaging

End-to-end encrypted direct messages and group chats using Nostr's NIP-17. Private messages stay private. With optional forward secrecy.

Lightning Integration

Send and receive instant Bitcoin payments directly in chat. Zap messages that you like seamlessly.

Reactions & Interactions

Express yourself with emoji reactions, quote replies, and rich markdown formatting. IRC meets modern chat.

Bitchat Bridge

Compatible with Jack Dorsey's Bitchat app "teleport", with enhanced geohash explorer, to view channels around the world.

Progressive Web App

Load on any device. Feels native. Chat anywhere, anytime, on any device with a browser. Or, install the iOS and Android app.

Built on Nostr Protocol

Truly decentralized through open standards

Nymchat, also known as NYM (Nostr Ynstant Messenger), leverages the Nostr protocol to ensure your messages are distributed across a decentralized network of relays. No single point of failure, no central authority, unstoppable communication.

Ephemeral Events

Kind 20000: Regular and geohash-based location channels
Messages exist only during active sessions, leaving no permanent trace.

Private Messages

Kind 1059: NIP-17 encrypted PMs and group chats
End-to-end encryption ensures only sender and recipient(s) can read messages.

Powered by a global network of community-operated relays.
No servers to shut down. No data to seize. Pure decentralized freedom.

Available Commands

IRC-style commands for power users

/help
Show available commands
/join [channel]
Join or create a channel
/pm [nym]
Send private message
/nick [name]
Change your nym
/who
List online nyms
/clear
Clear chat messages
/block [nym]
Block a user or channel
/slap [nym]
Slap with a trout
/me [action]
Action message
/shrug
Send ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
/bold [text]
Send bold text
/quote [text]
Send quoted text

And many more...

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Nymchat

What is Nymchat and how does it work?
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Nymchat (Nostr Ynstant Messenger) is a decentralized, anonymous chat application built on the Nostr protocol. It allows you to communicate freely without registration, accounts, or centralized servers.

Messages are distributed across hundreds of community-operated Nostr relays worldwide, making the network censorship-resistant and resilient. Temporary keypairs are auto-generated each session for maximum anonymity — your nym disappears when you disconnect.

How does the connection work?
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Nymchat uses ephemeral connections only. Temporary keypairs are auto-generated for maximum anonymity. Your identity exists only for the current session and leaves no trace when you disconnect. No accounts, no registration, no persistent data.

How do channels work?
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Nymchat uses ephemeral regular and geohash channels — location-based chat rooms using geohash codes (e.g., #w1, #dr5r). These are bridged with Bitchat and can be sorted by proximity to your location.

All messages are temporary and exist only during active sessions, leaving no permanent trace.

How do private messages and group chats work?
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Private messages and group chats in Nymchat use Nostr's NIP-17 encryption standard for end-to-end encrypted communication that can't be linked to your session. Only you and your recipient can read the messages.

You can also enable forward secrecy for disappearing messages from the app settings.

To send a PM, use the /pm nym#xxxx command or click on any user's nym and select "Private Message" from the context menu.

Each user is identified by their nym + a 4-character suffix from their public key (e.g., cyber_wolf#a3f2), ensuring you can distinguish between users with similar names.

What is Lightning integration and how do zaps work?
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Nymchat integrates Lightning Network for instant Bitcoin micropayments called "zaps." You can tip messages you appreciate or send Bitcoin directly to users.

To receive zaps, set up a Lightning address in Settings (format: [email protected]). To send a zap, click a user's nym and select "⚡ Zap" or use the quick zap button that appears on messages with existing zaps.

Zaps are displayed in real-time on messages, showing the total amount and number of zappers. The system generates Lightning invoices automatically and monitors payment status.

How do reactions and emoji work?
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Nymchat supports emoji reactions on messages (similar to Discord or Slack). Click on a user's nym and select "React" or hover over a message to see the reaction button.

You can react with any emoji from our extensive library organized by category (smileys, gestures, hearts, symbols, etc.). Recent emojis are remembered for quick access.

To insert emojis in your messages, type : followed by a name (like :smile:) for autocomplete, or click the emoji button in the input area. Reactions use Nostr's NIP-25 standard.

What formatting and markdown is supported?
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Nymchat supports rich text formatting similar to Discord or Slack:

  • Bold: **text** or __text__
  • Italic: *text* or _text_
  • Strikethrough: ~~text~~
  • Code: `code` or code blocks with ```code```
  • Quotes: Start line with >
  • Headers: # H1, ## H2, ### H3

Commands like /bold, /italic, /quote, and /code provide shortcuts for quick formatting.

How do I block users or channels?
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Block users: Use /block nym#xxxx or click a user's nym and select "Block User." Blocked users' messages are hidden and they won't see your activity.

Block channels: Use /block #channelname or /block while in a channel to block it. Blocked channels are hidden from your sidebar.

Block keywords: Add keywords in Settings → Blocked Keywords to hide messages containing specific words or phrases across all channels.

View and manage blocks in Settings.

How does proximity sorting for geohash channels work?
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When enabled in Settings, Nymchat can sort geohash channels by distance from your location. This requires browser location permission.

Geohash channels are location-based chat rooms using standardized geohash codes. They're bridged with Bitchat, allowing cross-platform communication. The proximity feature helps you discover and prioritize local channels.

Disable this feature anytime in Settings → "Sort Geohash Channels by Proximity."

How do I share channels or invite users?
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Share channel URLs: Click the share button in the channel header or use /share to generate a shareable URL.

Invite to current channel: Use /invite nym#xxxx to send an invitation PM with channel details.

What are themes and customization options?
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Nymchat offers several terminal-inspired themes:

  • Bitchat: Multicolor theme with unique per-user colors (default)
  • Matrix Green: Classic green-on-black terminal aesthetic
  • Amber Terminal: Vintage amber CRT screen appearance
  • Cyberpunk: Neon purple and cyan color scheme
  • Hacker Blue: Blue-tinted terminal theme
  • Ghost: High-contrast black and white mode

Additional customization includes notification sounds (Classic Beep, ICQ, MSN), auto-scroll behavior, timestamp display, and image blur settings.

Is Nymchat really anonymous and private?
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Nymchat provides maximum anonymity through ephemeral connections. Temporary keypairs are generated per session with no connection to your real identity. Messages aren't permanently stored, and your nym disappears when you disconnect. Private messages and group chats use NIP-17 end-to-end encryption.

Important notes: Channel messages are visible to anyone on the Nostr network. Use encrypted PMs for truly private conversations. For maximum anonymity, use Tor or a VPN you paid for using cash or monero.

How do I use Nymchat on mobile?
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Nymchat is available as a native app and a Progressive Web App (PWA):

The mobile interface is optimized with touch-friendly controls, swipe gestures for opening the sidebar, and a responsive layout that adapts to your screen size. All features work on mobile, including reactions and zaps.

What's the connection with Bitchat?
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Nymchat is bridged with Jack Dorsey's Bitchat application, specifically for geohash-based location channels. This means messages sent in geohash channels on Nymchat appear in Bitchat and vice versa.

The bridge allows cross-platform communication between Nymchat's web-based interface and Bitchat's mobile app, creating a larger interconnected network of location-based chat rooms using the same Nostr protocol underneath.

How do relay connections work?
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Nymchat connects to multiple Nostr relays simultaneously for redundancy and speed:

  • Broadcast relays: Core relays for sending messages (you're connected to all of them)
  • Read relays: Additional relays discovered automatically for receiving messages (up to 1000+)
  • Nosflare: Write-only relay for message broadcasting

The app intelligently manages connections, automatically discovering new relays via NIP-66, blacklisting unresponsive relays, and retrying failed connections. You can view connected relays in Settings.

More relays = better censorship resistance and message delivery, but also more bandwidth usage.

Ready to Join the Revolution?

No registration. No tracking. No censorship.
Just pure, decentralized, anonymous group chat.