Nostr action is an open source tool for developers who want their GitHub Actions workflows to send events to the Nostr network. Instead of posting by hand, you define the event inside a workflow file, and it goes out each time that workflow runs. The project is free, written in JavaScript and TypeScript, and its source code is hosted on GitHub.
It fits best in publishing automation, where a post should appear whenever something happens in a repository, such as a new release or a finished build. The current release is v2.0.0, and the code was last updated on August 27, 2026, so the project is recently maintained. Windows is among the platforms named in the documentation, but the tool works inside GitHub Actions rather than as a traditional desktop program.
What Nostr Is and Why Automate Publishing
Nostr is an open protocol for social and messaging apps. Instead of one company hosting every account, users sign their messages with a key pair and publish them to relays, which are servers that store and forward events. Anyone can run a relay, and clients read from whichever relays a user chooses.
That design gives people control over their identity, but it also means every post normally requires someone to open a client and write it. Automation changes that. A workflow that already knows when a tag is pushed or a build has finished can publish the announcement at that exact moment, with the same wording and structure every time.
The main benefit is consistency. Scheduled or triggered posts go out even when no maintainer is online, and they are less likely to be forgotten during a busy release week.
Who Should Use It and for Which Workflows
Nostr action suits developers and maintainers who already run projects on GitHub and want those projects to have a presence on Nostr. Open source library authors, small app teams and anyone maintaining a public project feed are the most natural fit.
It is less useful for someone who only wants to post occasionally from a phone. A regular Nostr client does that job more comfortably. The action earns its place when posts are tied to repository events, such as a new version, a merged pull request or a weekly digest.
Before wiring it into a workflow, decide which events should be public. Automated posts are visible to everyone following the account, and once relays have stored them, they may stay there even after you delete the original. Start with one low-stakes message, such as a release notice, and review the output before adding more triggers.
Practical Publishing Scenarios
A common first use is a release announcement. When a version tag is pushed, a workflow can publish a short note with the version number and a link to the changelog. Readers see the update without the maintainer switching apps.
Another scenario is a build status message. A nightly job that fails can post a brief notice to a project account, which gives followers a signal that something needs attention. Keep these messages factual and avoid including logs or internal error details that you would not want public.
A third option is documentation updates. When a docs folder changes on the main branch, a workflow can announce the new pages. Because each scenario depends on a trigger you control, the main design work is deciding which events deserve a public post and which should stay internal.
Key features
Event publishing from workflows
Free and open source
JavaScript and TypeScript codebase
Supported coins
The documentation names Nostr as the network the action publishes to. If you need to send content to other platforms, you would add a separate tool or step to the same workflow, configured for that service.
How to install Nostr action on Windows
- 1
Get the code from the official source
Open the project's GitHub repository at github.com/snow-actions/nostr, or use the Releases page to pick the current version, v2.0.0 at the time of writing. Use the official repository rather than third-party copies or forks of unknown origin, and read the README before you begin.
- 2
Reference the action in a workflow
Add a step to a .yml file in your repository's .github/workflows folder. The step should call the action with a pinned version tag. The input names and any relay settings are listed in the README, so copy them from there instead of guessing.
-
Store your key as a GitHub secret
Save your Nostr private key in the repository's encrypted secrets under Settings, then pass it into the workflow as an environment variable. Never write the key directly into the YAML file, where anyone with read access to the repository could see it.
How to use Nostr action
Nostr action runs inside a workflow, so using it means writing a workflow file and triggering it. A basic setup takes a few minutes once your key is stored as a secret.
- Choose the event that should trigger the post, such as a published release.
- Create or edit a workflow file under .github/workflows in your repository.
- Add a step that calls the action, and set the message text and any relay settings the README describes.
- Pass your stored secret into the step instead of typing the key.
- Commit the file and run the workflow manually once with a test message.
- Open the Actions tab and check the run log for errors.
- Confirm the test event appears on a Nostr client that reads from the same relay.
- Only after the test works, add the real trigger for releases or scheduled posts.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source, with code you can read before running it
- Fits into existing GitHub Actions workflows without a separate server
- Written in JavaScript and TypeScript, which web developers can modify
- Useful for publishing notices tied to repository events
- Built for workflow automation, not everyday posting from a desktop
- Windows is named in the documentation, but most work happens inside GitHub Actions rather than a local install
- Automated posts can be hard to fully remove once relays have stored them
- Requires comfort with YAML workflow files and repository secrets
Is Nostr action safe?
Nostr action handles a signing key, so treat it as a security-sensitive tool. Get it only from the official GitHub repository at github.com/snow-actions/nostr, and avoid copies hosted elsewhere. Pin the action to a specific release tag or commit SHA rather than a moving branch, so a later change cannot alter what runs with your key. Verify the SHA and read the release notes before each update.
Store the Nostr private key only in GitHub's encrypted secrets. Never place it in workflow files or commit history, and never paste it into any website that asks for it. Using a dedicated key for automation keeps your personal identity separate from bot-like posts. Check the latest version on the official website before updating, and review the repository's activity from time to time.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/snow-actions/nostr. 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
Nostr action differs from the other programs in this group mainly by where it runs. Amethyst and Gossip are client apps for reading and writing Nostr posts by hand. Nostr Commander RS and NAK are command-line tools you run yourself in a terminal, which suits scripts and manual testing. Nostr action sits inside GitHub Actions, so it triggers from repository events rather than from a keyboard.
If your goal is a one-off post, a client or command-line tool is simpler. If you want the publishing step to happen automatically whenever code changes, this action is the more direct choice. Coop, Nostr VPN and Blockcore Notes solve different problems and are not substitutes for it.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v2.0.0
- Last update
- 27 Aug 2026
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/snow-actions/nostr
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Nostr action is free and open source. Its source code is published on GitHub, so you can read it, fork it or adapt it to your own workflow. Running it inside GitHub Actions also uses your GitHub account, so usage is governed by your GitHub plan rather than by this project.
It can be, if you handle it carefully. The tool signs events with a private key, so the main risks are a leaked key or an unpinned version. Get the code only from the official GitHub repository, pin a specific version, and store your key in GitHub secrets. The safety section above covers the full checklist.
There is no separate setup program to run on your PC. You add the action to a workflow file in a GitHub repository, and GitHub runs it when the workflow triggers. Create the workflow, store your key as a secret, and test it with a manual run before enabling automatic triggers.
You need a Nostr key pair, which identifies the author of your events. The private key signs each event, and the public key is what followers see. Many people create a separate key pair for automation, so their main identity stays apart from scheduled or project-related posts.
No. The documentation names Nostr as the network the action publishes to. For other destinations, you would add a separate step in the same workflow, using a tool built for that service, and keep each step's credentials in its own secret.
A relay is a server that stores and forwards Nostr events. Clients publish to one or more relays and read from them. Anyone can run a relay, and users choose which ones to trust. Since the action sends events to the relays you configure, your relay choice decides where the posts appear.
Clients such as Amethyst and Gossip handle reading and posting by hand. NAK and Nostr Commander RS are command-line options for scripts and testing. Each serves a different purpose, so choose based on whether you post manually, from a terminal or automatically from repository events.
Verdict
Nostr action is a focused, free tool for one job: publishing Nostr events from GitHub Actions workflows. It suits developers and project maintainers who want release notes or build status to reach Nostr without manual steps. It is not a general Nostr client and does not replace one for daily reading or posting. Before adopting it, create a dedicated key, pin a version and run a test workflow. Once those steps are in place, the automation itself is simple to maintain.