Nostr Pubminer is a small, free, open-source utility for people who want a Nostr public key that begins with a pattern of characters they choose. It suits Nostr users and developers who already understand key management and are comfortable letting software search through many candidate keys.
Before you start, note that the project's code was last updated on January 30, 2023, more than two years ago. It has not received fixes or compatibility updates for a long time, so treat it as an unmaintained tool. It still works as a focused utility for those who understand its limits, but review the safety section before running it.
What Is a Vanity Public Key?
A Nostr identity is a key pair: a private key you keep secret and a public key that others use to find and verify you. Public keys are normally random-looking strings, which makes them hard to recognize or remember. A vanity public key is one generated to include a chosen pattern, such as a readable word or short sequence at the start.
Vanity keys are a naming convention, not a new kind of key. The cryptography behind the key stays the same, and the pattern adds no extra security. What changes is the search: the software creates candidate keys over and over and discards every one that does not match.
Each encoding format uses its own alphabet, so the same pattern length can behave differently depending on whether you choose hex or bech32.
Who Nostr Pubminer Suits Best
The most likely user already understands Nostr keys and wants a public key that is easier to recognize when sharing it. A creator might want a memorable key for a public profile, or a developer might need a few keys with recognizable prefixes for testing a client. Both cases involve a small, focused search rather than a large-scale operation.
The tool is less suitable for people new to key management. Once you generate a private key, anyone who learns it can act as you, so you must store it carefully. Beginners are usually better served by a well-documented Nostr client that walks them through key creation.
The readable source code also makes it useful for anyone who wants to study how vanity generation works in practice.
How Vanity Key Searches Work in Practice
A vanity search is a loop. The program generates a random key pair, encodes the public key in the chosen format, compares the start of the result with your target, and then either stops or tries again. Each attempt is independent, so the process is essentially random guessing with a fast check.
Expect the time to grow quickly with length. Adding one character to the target does not add a little time; it multiplies the expected number of attempts by the size of the alphabet. A target of two to four characters is a sensible starting point, while longer patterns can run for a very long time.
Hardware and luck both matter. A faster processor completes more attempts per second, but a search can still finish early or run long. Plan for an open-ended run, check progress periodically, and stop once the result serves your purpose.
Key features
Vanity Key Search
Hex and Bech32 Support
Portable Rust Codebase
Free and Open Source
Supported coins
Nostr Pubminer is aimed at Nostr keys only. It works with hexadecimal and bech32 encodings of public keys, and Nostr is the only network it targets. It is not a tool for generating keys for other blockchains or for mining coins.
How to install Nostr Pubminer on Windows
- 1
Get the program
Download Nostr Pubminer only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page, and avoid mirrors or file-sharing sites. The source code is hosted at github.com/lacaulac/nostr-pubminer, so start there to find the official download or release notes.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published alongside it. If a signature is provided, check that as well. If no checksum is published, treat the file with extra caution and consider building from the source code instead.
- 3
Install the program
Place the executable in a dedicated folder rather than your Downloads directory, and launch it from there. If you only have the source code, build it with the Rust toolchain. Rust is needed to build the program, not to run the finished version.
-
Run a test search
Before attempting a longer pattern, run a short search with a two-character target. This confirms the program starts and produces output on your system.
How to use Nostr Pubminer
The exact input options are documented in the project repository, so read the readme before your first run. The workflow below applies to most vanity key tools and keeps your private key under control.
- Choose the format. Pick hexadecimal or bech32 based on how you plan to share the public key.
- Pick a short target. Start with two to four characters so the search finishes in a reasonable time.
- Start the search and watch the output. Let it run until it produces a match, and stop it manually if it runs too long.
- Save the key pair offline. Store the private key in a password manager or encrypted storage, not in a plain text file on the desktop.
- Check the public key in a Nostr client. Confirm it displays correctly before you use it for a profile or published identity.
- Close the program when finished. Do not leave it running in the background while you browse or handle other sensitive tasks.
Pros & cons
- Free to use with no cost
- Open source, so the code can be read on GitHub
- Supports both hex and bech32 vanity keys
- Written in Rust and designed to be portable
- Narrow scope makes it easy to understand what it does
- Last code update was January 30, 2023
- Windows support is reported by the developer rather than formally verified
- The developer describes the code as quick and dirty, so expect rough edges
- Limited to Nostr keys and not a general coin miner
- Longer patterns can require a very long search
Is Nostr Pubminer safe?
Download Nostr Pubminer only from the official project website or its GitHub Releases page. Verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature before running any file, and never run a build from an unknown mirror. The project has not been updated since January 2023, so it may not run cleanly on current systems. Check the latest version on the official website before installing.
Antivirus software often flags mining-style tools, so expect a warning. Do not disable your protection entirely. Instead, confirm the checksum and review the source code if the warning persists.
Treat the private key this tool produces like a password. Never enter it or any seed phrase on third-party websites, and never share it with anyone.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/lacaulac/nostr-pubminer. 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 Pubminer sits in a narrow niche. Rana is the closest match, since it is also a Nostr public key mining tool, so compare the two on release status, supported formats and download source before choosing. The other listed programs, including GMiner, NBMiner, T-Rex Miner, Rigel and WildRig, are GPU miners aimed at cryptocurrency hashing, which is a different job from generating vanity keys. Chia Blockchain is a full blockchain implementation with farming and wallet components, not a key tool. PhoenixMiner has no official website and carries a high risk of counterfeit downloads, so it is best avoided.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- —
- Last update
- 30 Jan 2023
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/lacaulac/nostr-pubminer
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Nostr Pubminer is free and open source, so there is no price to download or run it. Its source code is public on GitHub, which lets you read exactly how it generates keys before you build it. Free tools still deserve careful verification, especially when they produce private keys.
It can be used safely if you download it from the official website or GitHub, verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature, and protect the keys it produces. The project was last updated in January 2023, so compatibility with current systems is uncertain. Read the safety section before running it.
The developer reports testing it on Windows, and the code should run on other platforms the Rust compiler supports. Windows support has not been formally verified, so run a short test search before relying on the output for anything important.
It supports vanity keys in hexadecimal and bech32 formats. Hex is the plain representation of a public key, while bech32 is the readable encoding that appears with the npub prefix in many Nostr apps. Choose the format that matches how you plan to share the key.
No. A chosen prefix only changes how the public key looks, not how strong the cryptography is. Security depends on keeping your private key secret, so protect it the way you would protect a password or seed phrase.
No, the tool is designed for generating Nostr public keys, not for cryptocurrency mining. If you want coin mining software, GPU miners such as GMiner or Rigel are built for that purpose, but they need their own research and safety checks.
Verdict
Nostr Pubminer is a narrow, free tool for one job: generating Nostr public keys that begin with a chosen pattern. It suits technically comfortable users who already understand key management and want a short, readable prefix. It is a weaker choice for beginners, for anyone who needs an actively maintained program, or for anyone looking for coin mining. Given the last update in January 2023, treat it as an experiment: read the code, verify the download, and keep your private keys offline.