What is Nostr?
NomishkaDilshan / Nomishka Dilshan
npub19hs…5jcn
2025-01-12 19:46:06

NomishkaDilshan on Nostr: I made my sixth edition of "The Latest on the Nostr"! a weekly recap (13 January ...

I made my sixth edition of "The Latest on the Nostr"! a weekly recap (13 January 2025) highlights notable news, releases, community milestones, upcoming events, and more from across the Nostr ecosystem. I am aiming to bring you a concise but comprehensive overview, so you can stay in the loop without chasing every thread. Below, you’ll find mentions of the incredible contributors and creators whose work, insights, and enthusiasm power this decentralized network last week. Dive in, discover what’s new, and consider zapping these plebs to show your support. Let’s #growNostr together! 🗞️🚀 #nostrrecap


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🗞️ The Latest the Nostr: Weekly Recap - 13 January 2025 🚀
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===================
🧠 Quote of the Week
===================

“Nostr is the freedom to communicate. It's a new open source protocol and that sounds really kind of geeky, kind of technical. So we're just going to say it's decentralized and censorship resistant communication. There are no CEOs, there are no mods, there is no centralization and there are dozens and dozens of applications that can all use this same communication protocol. so it's really cool”

You can find more details at Nostr in the Media section.

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===========================
🛠️ Tools, Updates, and Releases
===========================

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1. Zapstore - 0.2.1
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Zapstore is a permissionless app store leveraging the Nostr protocol to establish identity and connect app releases with social profiles. In this release, significant bug fixes were introduced to improve the functionality and user experience. These include resolving issues with zaps caching, loading, and display, as well as ensuring they are ordered correctly by amount. Additional minor bug fixes further enhance the stability of the platform. There was the release of 0.2.0 too this week.

Developed by: franzap (npub1wf4…dgh9)
Source: https://github.com/zapstore/zapstore/releases/tag/0.2.1

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2. Tides - v1.1.3
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Tides is a Chrome extension messenger that includes a hotlink for the Noderunners Radio Stream. The latest release, v1.1.3, introduces a new feature “group chats” enhancing the messaging experience with support for multiple participants.

Developed by: arbadacarba (npub1n2p…hzmc)
Source: https://github.com/arbadacarbaYK/Tides/tree/tides-v1.1.3

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3. Voyage - v0.17.3
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Voyage is a lightweight Android client with a Reddit-like UI, designed for seamless interaction with the Nostr network. This release reduces the APK size, thanks to updates in rust-nostr v0.38.3, improving efficiency and performance. This is the latest release and there was another release v0.17.2 also in this week.

Developed by: dluvian (npub1use…k5ks)
Source: https://github.com/dluvian/voyage/releases/tag/v0.17.3

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4. Nostrss - v1.1.0
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Nostrss is a flexible and lightweight application designed to broadcast RSS feeds on Nostr. This release includes updates to dependencies, notably upgrading tokio-cron-scheduler, which introduces changes to the scheduler pattern. Users are encouraged to review the README to understand these pattern changes. Additionally, the update makes the feed cache optional, allowing users to set a default size via environment variables. If no cache size is defined, there will be no limit on the feed cache.

Developed by: Asone (npub10fd…vn3n)
Source: https://github.com/Asone/nostrss/releases/tag/v1.1.0

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5. Amber - v3.1.7
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Amber is a Nostr event signer for Android, allowing users to securely sign events on the Nostr network. This release introduces several updates which are deletion of old history, enhanced logging for bunker requests, and validation checks for methods. This is the latest release and there were v3.1.6, v3.1.5, v3.1.4, v3.1.3, v3.1.2, v3.1.1, v3.1.0 releases this week too.

Developed by: greenart7c3 (npub1w4u…0jr5)
Source: https://github.com/greenart7c3/Amber/releases/tag/v3.1.7

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==================================
🎁 Developer Tools, updates and Guides
==================================

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1. Bostr - 3.1.0
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Bostr is a Nostr bouncer relay aggregator proxy built in NodeJS, designed to streamline relay interactions. This version introduces updated dependencies to improve performance and compatibility. Additionally, this version adds a new feature that allows users to customize their user agent, providing more flexibility and control over their connections.

Developed by: Yonle (npub1x3a…g4el)
Source: https://github.com/Yonle/bostr/releases/tag/3.1.0

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2. Bostr 2 - v1.1.0
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Bostr 2 is a Nostr bouncer relay aggregator proxy written in Go, designed to efficiently manage and streamline relay interactions for developers. This version includes updated dependencies for improved performance and compatibility. Additionally, it introduces the ability to customize the user agent, providing developers with greater flexibility in configuring their relay interactions.

Developed by: Yonle (npub1x3a…g4el)
Source: https://github.com/Yonle/bostr2/releases/tag/v1.1.0

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3. noScrypt - v0.1.7
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Noscrypt is a C89 library tailored for Nostr-specific cryptography operations. This latest release includes minor fixes, such as initializing stack buffers to zero before use in noscrypt.c and ensuring NCVerifyDigest() correctly returns E_OPERATION_FAILED when signature verification fails. Additionally, the release offers signed downloads with sha256 checksums and PGP signature files for enhanced security.

Developed by: ChipTuner (npub1qdj…fqm7)
Source: https://github.com/VnUgE/noscrypt/releases/tag/v0.1.7

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=============================
🌐 Relay Updates and Releases
=============================

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1. Immortal - v0.0.7
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Immortal is a Nostr relay focused on scalability, performance, and configurability. This release fixes filter parsing issues, adds support for NIP-40, and refactors the project structure. It also ensures unique event IDs by indexing the database, corrects ephemeral event kind responses, and handles duplicated event writes with proper errors. New logging features (system, console, and file logs) are included, and deleted events are no longer returned by default. These improvements enhance both reliability and usability.

Developed by: K (npub1h49…9kay)
Source: https://github.com/dezh-tech/immortal/releases/tag/v0.0.7

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2. Citrine - v0.7.0
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Citrine is a Nostr relay for Android that enables any Nostr client supporting Android to send and receive events. This release brings several important updates, including an update to the Quartz dependency, enhanced service recovery after crashes, and fixes for issues related to deleting old events. Additionally, the back button has been added in the events screen, and the backup dialog no longer reappears. These improvements aim to provide a smoother and more reliable experience for users.

Developed by: greenart7c3 (npub1w4u…0jr5)
Source: https://github.com/greenart7c3/Citrine/releases/tag/v0.7.0

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3. Servus - v0.1.6
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Servus is a self-contained, single-executable CMS and blogging engine inspired by Jekyll, designed to act as a personal Nostr relay for sharing blog posts. This release addresses minor issues to enhance stability and functionality, ensuring a smoother experience for managing and distributing your blog content.

Developed by: npub1xvdg698f7fqdu2qu5azwa6fu8xhw8p0zpp272qe7qex7kpn5ks5su3am9l (npub1xvd…am9l)
Source: https://github.com/servus-social/servus/releases/tag/v0.1.6

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========================
🔥 Community Highlights
========================

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1. The Effectiveness of Zap-Versing
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mikerama (npub1kje…4x4r) recently conducted a zap-vertising experiment on Nostr, spending 100,000 sats ($1) over three days by sending 4,105 zaps, each containing a link to a blog post. The campaign resulted in 71 unique visitors, a CPC of 1,578 sats ($1.50 USD), and 245 new followers, validating the effectiveness of zap-vertising as an advertising tool. While the results exceeded expectations with no negative feedback and higher-than-expected follower growth, Google Analytics may not be capturing all the data. Though the current model isn’t scalable, there's potential for future campaigns, especially as Nostr grows. The peer-to-peer model feels promising, but the format needs refinement.

🔗 Author: mikerama (npub1kje…4x4r)
🔗 Event:
I spent another 100,000 sats on a zap-vertising experiment…

And I think I proved that advertising on Nostr actually works…

Here’s:
1️⃣ What I did
2️⃣ The results
3️⃣ What I learned


1️⃣ What I did:

I sent 4105 zaps over the course of 3 days for a total of 112,000 sats.

Each zap contained a link for a blog post:
zapvertising-experiment.carrd.co

My goal was to see if I could get a reasonable cost per click (CPC)…


2️⃣ The results:

During the campaign I had a total of 71 unique visitors to the page.

CPC was 1578 sats or $1.50 usd.

I also gained 245 followers from that campaign.

These CPCs are in line with other ad platforms which validates the overall concept for me.

3️⃣ What I learned / brain dump:

- Results were better than expected.

- I thought there might have been a bit of negative push back (however none received).

- There is a chance I am significantly underreporting and google analytics isn't picking everything up (surprised to see 3-4x the number of new followers vs. clicks 🤔)

- THERE IS SOMETHING HERE. I still don’t know exactly what the model looks like, how it scales, but there is something to be uncovered.

- Right now, this can’t be done at scale… in the future it could. I spent ~$100 and it took me multiple days. In the future there will be ways to allocate +$10,000 per day here. For context of where we are at right now, Nostr daily zap totals are around 750,000 sats - about $675 - see stats.nostr.band/ for that data)

- Something feels off with the format… simply paying someone and sending them a link… The p2p model feels right, but the format feels off.

More to come 🫡

Let me know your thoughts 👇



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2. Why Nostr Feels Like Home
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As BenJustman (npub153x…ryu8) says, we feel at home on Nostr because we’re with our people.
It’s not just about the Bitcoiners—it’s about the pioneers who left legacy social media behind to embrace something new, despite its quirks and challenges. That same humility and curiosity that brought us to Bitcoin also built this unique community.
On Nostr, we’re free to be ourselves. Among our people, it feels right.
Nostr isn’t just a platform—it’s home.

🔗 Event:
The big reason we all feel so comfortable here on NOSTR is simple: we’re with our people.

So many of the best Bitcoiners are here, and that alone is huge. But it’s not just that—because, at one point, we had that on Twitter too. There’s something extra about NOSTR, something that makes it feel different.

The secret sauce isn’t just the presence of the people who’ve dedicated their lives to Bitcoin. It’s the ones who got so fed up with legacy social media that they switched off everything and came here. To a new, emergent protocol that barely worked half the time.

Sure, NOSTR is a lot better now. But think about what it took to get here: figuring out this platform, using something no one else has ever heard of, dealing with its quirks. That’s a special kind of person.

It’s the same humility and curiosity we see in people who took the time to figure out Bitcoin. And when you add that to a protocol like this, it creates something unique. Something real.

I feel so comfortable here. I let loose, I’m myself—even though, ironically, you can’t delete anything here. But there’s a strange kind of freedom in that.

Among my people, it feels right.

NOSTR is Home. 💜



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=====================
🌱 Ecosystem Growth
=====================

Nostr is growing fast! There are now over 45 Nostr clients, and relays are running in more than 40 countries around the globe.
According to https://nostrapps.com there are overall 70 Nostr apps for now.

During this week:
► Total zaps: 52,975, compared to 61,552 zaps the week before
► Total zap amount: 3,133,596, compared to 4,501,123 sats the week before
► Total events: 6,032,232, compared to 5,013,716 events the week before

Many thanks to https://stats.nostr.band/ by brugeman (npub1xdt…ntxy) for providing these insights.

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=====================
🎓 Educational Guide
=====================

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Integrating coinoswallet (npub1h2q…w8ch) Wallet with Alby (npub1get…0nfm) Extension for #Nostr Zaps
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1. Register on Coinos.io

► Go to Coinos.io and register with your username and password.

2. Reveal Wallet Connection String

► In Coinos.io, go to settings, click "Reveal connection string", and copy the string.

3. Connect Coinos Wallet to Alby

► Open Alby extension, click the icon, then the arrow down icon.
► Click Add, choose Nostr Wallet Connect, and paste the copied string.
► Click Continue to connect.

4. Set Bitcoin Lightning Address in Primal Client

► In Primal Client, go to Edit Profile and enter your Coinos Lightning Address under Bitcoin Lightning Address to receive zaps.

5. Send Zaps (Optional)

► Send zaps via the Lightning Network to users or creators using your Coinos wallet in Alby.

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====================
📅 Upcoming Events
====================

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1. NOSTRLDN Meetup - vol.4
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📅 Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025 - 6:00 PM GMT – 11:00 PM - GMT
📍 Location: London Bridge Rooftop Bar, Colechurch House, Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SX, UK
🤹‍♀️ Organizers: we_are_2140 (npub1lws…y86j)
🔗 Register: https://lu.ma/ujfd935e
we_are_2140 (npub1lws…y86j) are inviting to Join them for the fourth edition of #NOSTRLDN, an engaging meetup focused on the innovative #NOSTR protocol. This time they’re discussing fundraising solutions using Bitcoin!
This event will feature keynote presentations by metamick (npub13v9…3rka), founder of geyser (npub1kmw…xqk9).fund, and Huxley (npub1wyj…2mkf), a top #UK Bitcoin contributor. Discover how Geyser.fund is revolutionizing Bitcoin-based fundraising for projects and creators.
Event Highlights:
► Keynote Presentations: Hear from @metamick and @Huxley on Bitcoin fundraising and its potential to shape the future of project funding.
► Geyser.fund Overview: Learn how this platform, built on the NOSTR protocol, is transforming fundraising experiences.
► Networking Opportunities: Meet like-minded individuals and potential collaborators.
This is a free entry event, so don't miss this chance to discuss the future of fundraising in the digital age with Bitcoin.

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2. FOSDEM 2025
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📅 Date: Saturday, Sunday, February 1–2, 2025 - CET
📍 Location: Brussels, Belgium
🤹‍♀️ Organizers: sebastix (npub1qe3…zefe), jurjendevries (npub1l77…swft), Tanja (npub1hz5…tysa) , Cypher (npub1nkm…49fn), laoc42 (npub1r30…t9ma)

🔗 https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/

FOSDEM is one of the biggest gatherings for open-source developers and enthusiasts worldwide, taking place each year in Brussels. It’s a free, community-driven event where thousands of devs, innovators, and Free and Open Source Software contributors come together to demo projects, host talks, and share ideas. It’s a key place for making meaningful connections, learning from each other, and pushing open-source tech forward.

For NOSTR, being at FOSDEM is a natural fit. It’s the perfect stage to introduce the broader open-source community to Nostr’s potential—how it can replace centralized social platforms, bring true ownership of data back to users, and encourage a more resilient, open internet. Engaging with fellow open-source projects and developers at FOSDEM helps Nostr grow its ecosystem, fosters new collaborations, and gains valuable feedback. The protocol is all about grassroots development, community contributions, and evolving without the constraints of centralized platforms, which aligns perfectly with FOSDEM’s collaborative spirit.

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3. FediForum April 2025
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📅 Date: April 1-2, 2025, 8:30 PM IST to 1:30 AM IST
📍 Location: Online Event
🔗 https://events.humanitix.com/fediforum-april-2025?hxchl=hex-pfl
Join FediForum (npub1h92…jhr8) to explore the future of social media, including platforms like Fediverse, Bluesky, Nostr, and Mastodon. Discuss new technologies, funding models, and governance, focusing on building an open, trust-driven, and interoperable social web. Connect and collaborate with peers to shape the next generation of social media.

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📰 Nostr in the Media
====================

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Exploring Nostr with Derek Ross (npub18am…p424)
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Fractal Bitcoin (npub1jz4…f5ku) had a great conversation with Derek Ross,They discussed what Nostr is, why it's important, how you can easily get started, the most popular apps in the ecosystem, and the overall vibe of Nostr, which is decentralized and censorship-resistant. Derek explained that Nostr empowers users to control their social data and interactions, unlike centralized platforms where users have little control. They also touched on best practices for security and engagement and explored various Nostr apps and projects with unique use cases. Nostr promises to revolutionize the way we interact online, giving individuals more control over their digital lives.

🔗 Youtube: https://youtu.be/2cZtEVikH98?si=n6NGea9e4KnvOi4n

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=========================
⚡ Most Zapped Last Week
=========================

Nostr’s Value4Value (V4V) model is all about plebs directly rewarding creators for the value they receive—no middlemen fees, no ads, just pure community-driven support using sats via the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Thanks to https://zaplife.lol by PABLOF7z (npub1l2v…ajft) for providing this data. Here are the top zapped posts from last week, showcasing creators who received the most engagement:

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🔥 Top 3: Most Zaps
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1. Author: jb55 (npub1xts…kk5s)
Zaps Received: 143
Sats Earned: 42k
🔗 event:
This is the coolest and most advanced piece of software i have ever worked on. the amount of optimization and engineering that went into this thing is nuts. The beginnings of a nostr browser for all platforms, with p2p and bitcoin wallet capabilities built in.

You won’t have to be a bitcoin or nostr wizard to build the next 100,000 nostr apps.

A future where apps automatically interoperate with each other and have bitcoin+zaps integrated with zero fuss.

A future where users are in control of all their data across all the apps they use.

The only way this will happen is if making a nostr app is as easy as making a webpage with a few lines of code. That is the longterm goal of #notedeck, and we’re just getting started.



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2. Author: theoriginalbhd (npub1akn…fxa8)
Zaps Received: 116
Sats Earned: 482k
🔗 event:
My disabled brother lost his lifelong home in the Palisades Fire. He escaped with nothing and now faces the unimaginable challenge of starting over.

Please consider donating to help him rebuild his life. It’s going to be a long road ahead - but even 1 sat helps.

💖🙏💖

https://geyser.fund/project/lafire?hero=brianna


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3. Author: Malos10 (npub17am…nldk)
Zaps Received: 112
Sats Earned: 134k
🔗 event:
Is possible to live in Venezuela with 5$ at day from #nostr ? Spoiler: it is!! And this video shows everything





The Challenge is to live 1 month from #nostr earnings, we already bought the food for 1 week thanks to you all!!

#plebs #plebchain #venezuela


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💰 Top 3: Most Sats
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1. Author: theoriginalbhd (npub1akn…fxa8)
Sats Earned: 482k
Zaps Received: 116
🔗 event:
My disabled brother lost his lifelong home in the Palisades Fire. He escaped with nothing and now faces the unimaginable challenge of starting over.

Please consider donating to help him rebuild his life. It’s going to be a long road ahead - but even 1 sat helps.

💖🙏💖

https://geyser.fund/project/lafire?hero=brianna


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2. Author: Malos10 (npub17am…nldk)
Sats Earned: 134k
Zaps Received: 112
🔗 event:
Is possible to live in Venezuela with 5$ at day from #nostr ? Spoiler: it is!! And this video shows everything





The Challenge is to live 1 month from #nostr earnings, we already bought the food for 1 week thanks to you all!!

#plebs #plebchain #venezuela


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3. Author: ภ๏รtг๏ภคยt (npub1wl8…n8lu)
Sats Earned: 98k
Zaps Received: 52
🔗 event:
Nostr doesn't have a marketing team like other socials do. It's up to us users!
Therfore,
This will be on a billboard M-F from 4 to 7pm in Lansing Michigan on the corner of M99 and S. Waverly!



The more this note is zapped, the longer it will stay up on the billboard.

It costs me $50/week and the 1st week is on me.

Send me your nostr billboard ideas and what city we should put them up in!


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======================
👋 Stay in Touch & Zap
======================

Nostr is built by the plebs, for the plebs. If you found this recap helpful, consider supporting me—Nomishka—with a zap. Right now, I’m in a tough spot: jobless and struggling to make ends meet. Most days, I’m barely able to afford food, and honestly, 210,000 sats per month would help provide a basic income to cover essential needs.

I’m committed to supporting Nostr, and I split a part of the zaps I receive for this note with the plebs mentioned in this recap for all their great effort. Thank you so much for being part of this journey. Let me know your thoughts about this sixth recap, share your tips and suggestions for the next weekly #nostrrecap, and let’s keep #grownostr together.

Recap by NomishkaDilshan (npub19hs…5jcn)

Author Public Key
npub19hs0lg9vyd0lghayeju5fnflx0melawjrl8etuqln9gkhd4mwtxq2t5jcn