Gossip is a free, open-source desktop client for Nostr, the decentralized social protocol, and it is written in Rust. It is aimed at people who want a native application rather than a browser tab, and developers who want to study a working Nostr client. The program runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and its source code is distributed under the permissive MIT license.
Before you install, know that development has effectively stopped. The author has said that the repository has become idle after many months without time to spend on Nostr work. Treat Gossip as an unmaintained project: it may still run well for you, but do not expect new features or quick fixes. Gossip for Windows is most easily installed with Scoop, and the sections below cover installation, use and safety.
What Nostr Is and How Clients Work
Nostr is an open protocol for decentralized social networking. Instead of one company hosting every account and post, users publish signed messages to relays, which are servers that store and forward them. Anyone can run a relay, and no single operator controls the whole network.
A Nostr client such as Gossip is the program you use to read and write those messages. It connects to a set of relays, fetches posts from the accounts you follow and sends your own signed notes back out. Because the client and the relays are separate, you can switch to a different client without losing your account, since your identity lives in your key pair rather than with a platform.
For most people, the practical difference is control. Your identity is a public key that others can see, and the matching private key proves that you wrote a given post. Guard the private key carefully, because it is the only way to prove ownership of the account.
Who Gossip Is For
Gossip suits a few specific kinds of readers. The first group is Nostr enthusiasts who want a dedicated desktop app instead of a browser tab or phone. The second is developers who want to study a working Nostr client written in Rust, read the code on GitHub and perhaps adapt parts of it for their own project.
Power users who already understand keys and relays will find the learning curve manageable. Newcomers may first need to read about how relays work, since Gossip assumes you know what you are connecting to.
Gossip is less suited to people who want an actively maintained app with frequent releases. Because the author has described the repository as idle, it works best as a reference implementation or a tool for experimenting. Teachers, researchers and community organizers who want to test decentralized messaging can also use it as a sandbox, as long as they understand its limits.
Why Open Source and the MIT License Matter
Gossip's source code is published on GitHub under the MIT license. In plain terms, the license lets you use, copy, modify and redistribute the software, including in commercial projects, as long as the copyright notice and license text stay with copies. The license does not include a warranty, so testing and support fall largely on the user.
Open source matters in a decentralized ecosystem because anyone can read how the client handles keys, which relays it contacts and how it stores data. Developers and security researchers can review the code directly instead of trusting a closed binary. The same openness makes forks possible.
Forking is an important option for a project that is no longer actively developed. If a bug affects you and the original author does not respond, a community member can take the code, fix the problem and publish a new build. The MIT license keeps that path open, though it takes technical skill and sustained effort.
Key features
Native Windows desktop app
Focused on the Nostr protocol
Written in Rust
Available on three desktop systems
Supported coins
Gossip works with Nostr, the protocol it was built to speak, and Nostr is the only network associated with the program. It is a social messaging client rather than a cryptocurrency wallet, so it has no built-in support for coins such as Bitcoin.
How to install Gossip on Windows
PS> scoop install gossip- 1
Install Scoop
Scoop is a command-line package manager for Windows. If you do not have it yet, install it by following the instructions in its official documentation. Once it is set up, you can run the rest of the commands from PowerShell as your normal user.
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Install Gossip with one command
Open PowerShell and run scoop install gossip. Scoop downloads the package and handles the setup, so you do not need to locate files or configure paths yourself. This is the quickest route on Windows.
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Or install from a manual download
If you prefer not to use Scoop, download only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page at github.com/mikedilger/gossip. Verify the file before running the installer, then follow the prompts to complete the installation.
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Launch and confirm the version
Start Gossip after installation and check that it opens correctly. The latest version listed for the project is 0.14.0, so compare your installed version with that number to confirm you have the most recent release.
How to use Gossip
Gossip needs a Nostr identity before it can publish anything. The steps below describe the general workflow, and menu names may differ between builds.
- Launch Gossip and create a new Nostr key pair, or import an existing one you already use.
- Add one or more relays, which are the servers that store and forward your notes.
- Follow other users by entering their public keys so their posts appear in your feed.
- Write a short note and publish it to your relays.
- Check replies and mentions to see how other users respond to your posts.
- Adjust your relay list over time, adding relays that carry the content you want and removing ones that are slow or unreliable.
Because Gossip depends on relays for every action, the quality of your relay list largely determines your experience. Try a few relays first, then refine the list as you learn which ones respond quickly.
Pros & cons
- Free to download and use
- Open source under the MIT license, so the code can be inspected
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Installable with a single Scoop command
- Written in Rust, with source code available to developers
- Development has stalled, and the author says the repository has become idle
- Focused only on Nostr and does not handle coins or wallets
- Bugs and compatibility changes in the Nostr ecosystem may go unfixed
- Requires some familiarity with Nostr concepts such as keys and relays
Is Gossip safe?
Gossip is open-source software, but its project is idle, so treat it as unmaintained and expect that known issues may remain unfixed. Download it only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page at github.com/mikedilger/gossip, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or digital signature before running the installer. If you install with Scoop, confirm that the version it reports matches what you expect. Never type your Nostr private key, the nsec, into a third-party website or app, because anyone who obtains it can act as you. Gossip does not handle coins, but keep the same caution you would apply to any software that touches sensitive credentials. Check the latest version on the official website before installing.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/mikedilger/gossip. 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
Gossip sits among several Nostr clients, and each takes a different approach. Vega is also described as a cross-platform desktop client for Nostr, so it is the closest match if you want a desktop app. NAK and Nostr Commander RS are command-line tools, better suited to scripting, testing or terminal users. Coop focuses on private messaging, while Amethyst is a general Nostr client.
Gossip stands out mainly for its Rust codebase and its MIT license. Its idle status is the key difference to weigh against more active projects, so compare it with alternatives if you need regular updates.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- 0.14.0
- Last update
- 17 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Yes (available via Scoop)
- Source code
- github.com/mikedilger/gossip
- Install command
- scoop install gossip
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Gossip is free to download and use, and its source code is published under the MIT license. Because it is open source, anyone can read the code, build it or modify it within the terms of that license.
Gossip can be used safely if you obtain it from the project's official channels and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature before running it. Safety depends heavily on where the file came from. Because the project is idle, it may contain unpatched bugs, so keep Windows and your other software up to date.
Install Scoop first, then open PowerShell and run scoop install gossip. Scoop downloads and sets up the program for you. This is the quickest route on Windows, though you can also install from a manually downloaded build if you prefer.
Not actively. The author has said that the repository has become idle after many months without time for Nostr development. Gossip still works as a client, but do not expect regular updates, new features or fast bug fixes.
No. Gossip is a Nostr client, and Nostr is the only network associated with it. It is not a cryptocurrency wallet, so it does not hold or send coins.
Nostr is an open protocol for decentralized social networking and messaging. Users are identified by cryptographic key pairs, and messages travel through relays that any compatible client can read from or publish to. Gossip is one of several programs that speak this protocol.
Yes. The project lists Windows, macOS and Linux as supported platforms. On Windows, Scoop is the simplest installation method. On other systems, use the build for your operating system from the GitHub Releases page.
Verdict
Gossip suits developers, Rust enthusiasts and Nostr users who want a Windows desktop client and are comfortable with software that is no longer actively developed. It is free, open source and easy to install with Scoop. People who want a steadily updated app for everyday Nostr use should compare Vega or Amethyst first, since they are better matched to ongoing maintenance.