The lnd web client is a free, open-source Lightning Slack tipbot for developers and small communities that want to send tiny Lightning Network payments to each other from a chat window. It suits people who already run or can access an LND node and are comfortable with basic server setup.
One thing to know before you start: the project has had no code updates since February 2020. You should not expect fixes, compatibility updates or support for newer LND releases. Treat it as a reference implementation for how such bots are built, read the safety section before installing anything, and avoid relying on it for anything important.
What Is a Lightning Tipbot?
A tipbot is a chat bot that moves small amounts of money between users when someone types a command. Most tipbots hold funds on a central server, which creates a custodial risk for everyone involved.
The lnd web client takes a different approach. It connects to a Lightning node you control, so payments flow through channels that your node manages. Each tip is paid by a Lightning invoice, a short encoded request that tells the sender where and how much to pay.
This design is useful for teaching. Seeing how a chat command becomes an invoice, a payment attempt and a settled transfer makes the Lightning model much easier to understand than reading protocol documentation alone.
Who Might Still Find This Project Useful
Developers who want to study a working Lightning integration are the most natural audience. The code shows how a Node-based application can talk to LND, how a chat platform's events can trigger payments and how a local web page can display status.
Small community organizers who already run an LND node may also find it interesting as a starting point. They would need to review the code, adapt it to current Slack and LND behavior and test it carefully before real use.
Casual users who simply want to send a few sats to friends are a poor fit. Setting up a node, managing certificates and maintaining a server requires more technical comfort than most consumer wallets demand.
How a Node Connects to a Chat Bot
An LND node is a full Lightning Network participant. It opens payment channels with peers, routes payments and keeps a view of the public channel graph, which is the map of who is connected to whom.
A client such as this one talks to the node through an API, using credentials that grant spending and administrative rights. Those credentials must be protected as carefully as a wallet's private keys, because anyone who obtains them can move funds.
The project also includes a feature for rendering the Lightning network graph as an image. That feature depends on Graphviz, an open-source graph visualization tool that must be installed on the server. Without it, the rest of the bot can still work, but the graph view will not render.
Key features
Slack tipping
Electron packaging
Local web interface
Supported coins
The documentation focuses on the Lightning Network, the second-layer payment system built on top of Bitcoin. The bot sends payments over Lightning channels rather than on-chain transactions. The SHA-256 algorithm mentioned alongside the project refers to Bitcoin's proof-of-work base layer that Lightning settles against. The program itself does not mine.
How to install lnd web client on Windows
- 1
Get the release
Open the project's GitHub Releases page at github.com/CryptoFR/ln-tip-slack and look for a Windows build. The project lists Windows among its platforms, but availability of a ready-made package depends on the current releases, so check there first. Download only from the official website or the official GitHub repository.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published on the release page. If a signature is provided, verify that as well. Do not run a file whose checksum does not match.
-
Install and configure
Run the installer or extract the application folder, then provide a contact email when the setup asks for it, since certificate generation requires one. Start the program and open http://127.0.0.1:8280 in your browser. Regenerate your certificates as the setup instructs before the interface will work properly.
System requirements
- Graphviz installed on the server, needed only if you use the Lightning network graph rendering feature
How to use lnd web client
Using the lnd web client involves more preparation than starting a typical desktop app. You need a running LND node and access to its connection details before the bot can do anything useful.
- Confirm your LND node is running and reachable from the machine where the bot will run.
- Start the lnd web client and open http://127.0.0.1:8280 in your browser.
- Regenerate your TLS certificates as required, since the local interface depends on them.
- Connect the bot to your Slack workspace by following the setup instructions in the project documentation.
- Invite the bot to a test channel and send a very small tip to another account you control.
- Check that the invoice and payment appear correctly in your node's logs before letting other members use the bot.
Keep the first test small. Because the project has not been updated since 2020, expect to troubleshoot version mismatches with your node or Slack configuration.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source, so the code can be read and audited
- Focused scope: one clear job of tipping inside Slack
- Useful as a learning resource for Lightning integrations
- Keeps funds under your own node rather than a custodial service
- No code updates since February 2020
- Requires an existing LND node and technical setup
- Local interface needs certificate regeneration before use
- Graph rendering needs Graphviz installed on the server
Is lnd web client safe?
This program handles access to a Lightning node, so treat it with the same care as a wallet. The project has had no code updates since February 2020, which means it may not work correctly with current LND or Slack versions and will not receive security fixes. Download only from the official website or the official GitHub repository, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature before running anything. Never enter a seed phrase or node credentials on a third-party website, and do not share your macaroons or admin credentials in chat. Since this is not a mining program, antivirus warnings are less likely to apply, but never disable your protection entirely. Check the latest version on the official website before deciding whether to install it.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/CryptoFR/ln-tip-slack. 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
The lnd web client sits in a narrow niche: a Slack tipbot that talks to your own LND node. Polar is different, because it creates local Lightning test networks in a few clicks, which is better for practice and development than for tipping among people. Peach is a desktop Lightning wallet built for sending small payments directly, so it fits personal use rather than chat integration. Spark Wallet is a minimal GUI for c-lightning and works across web, mobile and desktop. LND channel rebalancer 3 targets a different problem altogether, moving liquidity between channels. Zap Desktop, another desktop Lightning wallet, is also listed as no longer supported, which makes the lnd web client's age a shared concern across several tools in this category.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- —
- Last update
- 7 Feb 2020
- Windows support
- Likely (builds for Windows; check releases)
- Source code
- github.com/CryptoFR/ln-tip-slack
Frequently asked questions
It is open source, but it has had no code updates since February 2020, so treat it with caution. Download only from the official GitHub repository or its Releases page, verify the SHA-256 checksum, and never enter a seed phrase or node credentials on a third-party website.
The project lists Windows among its supported platforms, along with macOS, Linux and Docker. Whether a ready-made Windows build is available depends on the current GitHub Releases page, so check there before planning your setup.
Yes, it is listed as free and open source. Your costs come from running your own LND node and any server hosting you choose, not from the software itself.
You need a working LND node and basic server setup skills. A contact email is needed for certificate generation, and Graphviz must be installed on the server only if you use the network graph rendering feature.
Not really. It is a Slack tipbot rather than a wallet with a broad interface for everyday payments. If you want a personal desktop wallet, a tool such as Peach is designed for that purpose.
LND is the Lightning node software itself. This project is a client layered on top of a node that exposes tipping through Slack and a local web page, so you still need a working node underneath it.
Polar is useful for practicing on local test networks, and Spark Wallet offers a minimal GUI for c-lightning. Which fits best depends on whether you want chat tipping, development testing or a personal wallet.
Verdict
The lnd web client is best suited to developers and technically confident node operators who want to study or experiment with a Lightning tipbot. Its design, which keeps funds under your own node, is instructive. However, the lack of code updates since February 2020 makes it a poor choice for live communities or anyone expecting ongoing support. Casual users looking for simple payments should consider a maintained wallet instead.