Gitstr for Windows is a free, open-source program written in Go that sends and receives git patches over the Nostr network, following the NIP-34 specification. It is aimed at developers who want to share code changes without routing them through a single hosting platform.
Be aware that the project is deprecated. Its maintainers point users to NAK, which provides the same git workflow through a git subcommand. The latest release is v0.0.7, and the last code update landed on November 21, 2025. The code remains public, so treat this page as a guide to the idea and the tool rather than a recommendation to build new workflows around it.
What Is Gitstr and How Does It Fit In?
Git normally moves changes between people in one of two ways: by pushing branches to a shared server, or by sending patches, which are text files describing a change. Patch-based review has a long history in open source, where contributors often send a diff to a maintainer and wait for feedback.
Gitstr takes the patch idea and moves it onto Nostr, a network built from signed events passed between relays. The practical difference is who controls the path. A patch published through Nostr is tied to a key and stored by relays of your choosing rather than by one company's server. That is more portable, but it also means you are responsible for managing your keys and picking relays that will carry your messages.
Because the project is deprecated, think of Gitstr as a working example of how the idea can be built, not as the center of a daily toolchain.
Who Is Gitstr For? Real-World Use Cases
Gitstr suits developers who already understand git and Nostr. Consider a maintainer of a small Go project who receives a bug fix from a contributor with no account on their usual code host. The contributor publishes the patch over Nostr, and the maintainer retrieves it, reviews it, and applies it locally.
Another scenario is experimentation. A team exploring decentralized collaboration might test whether patch exchange over Nostr fits their habits before committing to it. Because the code is open, they can read how events are built and adapt the approach to their own needs.
It is a poor fit for anyone who needs a supported, stable platform for daily team work. Given the deprecation notice, building long-term processes on it carries real risk. Use it for learning, prototypes and small personal projects.
How Nostr Events Carry Git Patches
Nostr is built around events: small signed messages that users publish to relays and that other clients can subscribe to. Each event includes a public key, a timestamp, content and a signature, so recipients can check who authored it and whether it changed in transit. NIP numbers are the specifications that describe how particular kinds of events should look.
NIP-34 covers git-related events, including patches. Under this approach, a git patch becomes event content that relays store and forward, while the signature ties it to an identity. A code change can therefore travel through several relays without any one of them acting as the authority.
This model has trade-offs. Relays may drop events, and key management becomes the user's job. Losing a private key means losing control of that identity, and anyone holding a copy of the key can publish as you. Understanding these basics helps you judge whether Nostr-based patch exchange suits your setup.
Key features
Patch exchange over Nostr
Built on NIP-34
Written in Go
Free and open source
Supported coins
Gitstr works over Nostr, the decentralized protocol that carries its patch events. The tool is built for that network and is not a cryptocurrency wallet, exchange or mining program.
How to install Gitstr on Windows
- 1
Open the official project page
Go to the project's GitHub repository at github.com/fiatjaf/gitstr and open the Releases page. Download only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page, and avoid mirror sites or file-sharing links.
- 2
Choose the release and file
Look for the latest release, v0.0.7 at the time of writing, and check whether a Windows file is listed. The project describes Windows builds as likely rather than guaranteed, so do not assume a file exists for every version.
- 3
Verify the download
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published alongside it. If the release includes a signature, verify that as well. Delete the file and stop if the values do not match.
-
Place and run the program
Move the executable to a folder of your choice and run it from a Command Prompt or PowerShell window. Note the version number so you can compare it with the project page later.
How to use Gitstr
Gitstr is a command-line style tool, so you work with it from a terminal. Exact syntax changes between versions, so read the README in the repository before running commands. The steps below describe the general flow.
- Create or choose a Nostr identity and make sure you control its private key.
- Select the relays you want to publish to, since recipients need to read from the same ones.
- Open a git repository that contains the commit you want to share.
- Generate a patch from that commit using standard git tools.
- Send the patch through Gitstr so it is published as a signed Nostr event.
- Ask the recipient to fetch the event from the same relays and apply the patch to their copy of the repository.
- Check the result with git log and git diff before you push or merge anything.
Pros & cons
- Free to use, with public source code on GitHub
- Built on the documented NIP-34 approach to git patches
- Written in Go, which keeps the codebase straightforward to read
- Keeps patch exchange off a single centralized hosting platform
- Narrow scope that focuses on one job
- Marked as deprecated, and the maintainers point users to NAK instead
- Last code update was November 21, 2025, with no active development path
- Windows builds are not guaranteed for every release
- Users manage their own Nostr keys
- Depends on relays that may drop or delay events
Is Gitstr safe?
Gitstr is deprecated, so treat this page as informational and check the successor first. Download only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page for fiatjaf/gitstr. Verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature whenever the release provides one, and discard any file that fails the check. Your Nostr private key is the asset that matters most. Never paste it into a third-party website, browser extension prompt or chat, and never share it with anyone offering to help you recover access. Because the project no longer receives active updates, security fixes are unlikely, so check the latest version on the official website before using it.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/fiatjaf/gitstr. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Gitstr is narrower than most tools in this group. Gossip, Amethyst and Coop are Nostr clients for reading and posting social content, while Gitstr focuses on git patches. NAK is the closest relative: it is a command-line toolbox for Nostr with a git subcommand, and it is the project the Gitstr maintainers recommend. Nostr Commander RS is also terminal-based, which suits people who prefer the command line, but it serves general messaging rather than code review. Choose Gitstr to study the original approach; for ongoing work, NAK is the logical starting point.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v0.0.7
- Last update
- 21 Nov 2025
- Windows support
- Likely (builds for Windows; check releases)
- Source code
- github.com/fiatjaf/gitstr
Frequently asked questions
No. The project is marked as deprecated, and its maintainers direct users to NAK for the git subcommand. The latest release is v0.0.7, and the last code update was on November 21, 2025. Treat it as a reference project rather than a tool for new workflows.
Yes, Gitstr is free and open source. Its code is published on GitHub, so you can read how it works and review any changes. Free use does not make it suitable for every job, especially given its deprecated status.
It can be used with care if you check the file's SHA-256 checksum and keep your Nostr private key away from third-party sites. Windows builds are not guaranteed, and the project no longer receives active updates, so the risk is higher than with a maintained program.
NIP-34 is a specification within the Nostr protocol for git-related events, including patches. It describes how a patch can be packaged as a signed Nostr event so relays can store it and clients can retrieve it. Gitstr implements this idea, letting developers exchange patches without a central code host.
No. Gitstr works with the Nostr network, and its documentation names only Nostr. It is not a wallet, exchange or mining program, so it does not handle coins. Nostr keys are still sensitive, since they control your identity.
The project directs users to NAK, a command-line tool for Nostr that includes a git subcommand. It covers similar patch-related work and is the path the maintainers recommend. If you prefer a graphical interface, look at a Nostr desktop client, though those focus on social content rather than code.
Start by setting up a Nostr identity with a key you control, then choose the relays you want to publish to. Next, create a patch from your git repository and send it through the tool. Recipients fetch the event from the same relays and apply the change locally.
Verdict
Gitstr for Windows is a small, free, open-source tool for sending and receiving git patches over Nostr, built on NIP-34. Its deprecated status is the deciding factor. It can still help developers learn how patch exchange works on a decentralized network, and it suits experiments or personal prototypes. For anything that needs ongoing support, the maintainers point to NAK, which carries the git functionality forward. Choose Gitstr to study the approach, not to build new team processes on it.