Nostrfy is an open-source Nostr relay written in Rust, aimed at people who want to run their own relay server rather than rely on a public one. It suits self-hosters, community operators and developers who need a fast, memory-efficient relay that supports the full set of relay-side Nostr Improvement Proposals (NIPs) out of the box.
A Nostr relay stores and forwards signed events between clients. Running your own relay gives you control over what is stored, who can publish, and how the service behaves under load. Nostrfy bundles that relay with a built-in Blossom media server, so one process can handle both text events and uploaded files.
What Is a Nostr Relay and Why Run One?
Nostr is a protocol where users sign messages, called events, with their own keys, and send them to relays. Relays store events and pass them to other clients that ask for them. Anyone can run a relay, which is why the network does not depend on a single company.
Running your own relay lets a community keep its data on infrastructure it controls. It can set its own rules for storage, retention and access, and it is not affected when a public relay changes policy or goes offline.
Who Is Nostrfy For?
Nostrfy fits three groups well. Self-hosters who already keep a server at home or in a data center can add a fast relay with little overhead. Community organizers who want a private or semi-private space for a group can use the Buzz-compatible bridge to present the relay as a community. Developers who want to test client software against a relay with predictable behavior will find the REST API and validated configuration useful.
It is less suited to people who only want to read and post on Nostr from a desktop. For that, a client application is the right tool, and several are listed below.
How Relay Performance Matters in Practice
A relay that handles many concurrent connections needs careful resource management. Memory use grows with stored events and open subscriptions, and a slow query can hold up other requests if reads and writes share the same workers. Nostrfy separates reader threads and sets bounds on resources, which is the approach that keeps response times steady as load increases.
When evaluating any relay, check how it behaves with your expected traffic. A short test with realistic subscriptions will tell you more than any general description.
Key Concepts: Events, Subscriptions and NIPs
An event is a signed JSON object with a kind, content, tags and a timestamp. A subscription is a request from a client asking the relay for events that match filters. NIPs are the numbered specifications that define optional behaviors; for example, a relay might support NIP-94 for file metadata.
Understanding these terms helps you read a relay's support table and decide which features your community actually needs.
Key features
Overload protection and stability
Broad NIP coverage
Built-in Blossom media server
REST API
Buzz-compatible HTTP bridge
Single configuration file
Supported coins
Nostrfy works with the Nostr network, which is its only network listed in the documentation. It does not handle cryptocurrency coins or wallets.
How to install Nostrfy on Windows
- 1
Download the program
Download the release only from the official project page or the GitHub Releases page at github.com/iqbqioza/nostrfy. Avoid mirrors and links from third-party sites.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published alongside the release. If the project publishes a signature, check it as well before running anything.
- 3
Place the binary and create a config
Extract the files to a folder of your choice, such as C:\Nostrfy. Create a nostrfy.toml file in the same folder to define storage location, listening address and other settings.
- 4
Validate the configuration
Run the nostrfy check command in a terminal opened in that folder. Fix any errors it reports before starting the relay.
-
Start the relay
Launch Nostrfy from the terminal. Connect a Nostr client to the relay address to confirm it responds. Migrating an existing strfry database requires following the migration guide first.
How to use Nostrfy
Once the relay is running, the usual workflow is to point your Nostr clients at it, check that events are stored, and tune the configuration as your community grows. The steps below describe a typical first session.
- Open nostrfy.toml and set the address and port the relay should listen on.
- Run nostrfy check and resolve any reported errors.
- Start the relay and confirm it accepts connections from a local Nostr client.
- If you need media uploads, enable the built-in Blossom server in the configuration and test a small file upload.
- Query the /api/v1 endpoints to confirm the REST interface responds as expected.
- If you plan to use the Buzz desktop app, enable the opt-in bridge and check the /info endpoint.
- Review the relay's logs after a short period of use to spot any recurring warnings.
Pros & cons
- Written in Rust, aiming for speed and low memory use
- Wide relay-side NIP coverage with a published support table
- Built-in Blossom media server in the same binary
- Overload protection and panic containment
- Single configuration file with a validation command
- Open source under the MIT license
- Windows support is listed as unverified, so test carefully before relying on it
- Requires comfort with configuration files and a terminal
- Migrating from strfry needs a separate step-by-step guide
- Documentation is the main source of guidance, and it may assume familiarity with Nostr
Is Nostrfy safe?
Nostrfy is open source under the MIT license, which means you can read the code before running it. Download only from the official GitHub repository, verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature of the release, and avoid copies offered on unfamiliar sites. Because a relay listens for network connections, open only the ports you need and keep the host system updated. Store your configuration and any admin credentials securely. Never enter a seed phrase or private key into a third-party website while setting up Nostr tools; your Nostr keys belong only in your client software.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/iqbqioza/nostrfy. 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
Most programs in this catalog are Nostr clients, which are apps for reading and posting. Nostrfy is a relay, which runs server-side and stores events for others. If you want to publish or read posts, a client such as Gossip, Amethyst or Coop is the right choice. If you want to host infrastructure for a group, Nostrfy is the relevant option. Nostr Commander RS and NAK are command-line tools that interact with relays, so they can complement a relay you run, for example for testing or scripted posting. Nostr VPN addresses a different problem, creating a private mesh network, while Blockcore Notes is a web-based client with a focus on following groups.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- v0.1.26
- Last update
- 28 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/iqbqioza/nostrfy
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Nostrfy is listed as free and released under the MIT license, which allows you to use, modify and share it. Your costs will be for the server or computer you run it on, not for the software itself.
Windows is mentioned in the project documentation, but compatibility is listed as unverified. Test the relay on a non-critical machine first, and check the official repository for the latest platform notes.
A Nostr relay is a server that receives signed events from clients, stores them, and sends them to other clients that request matching content. Anyone can run one, and users can connect to several relays at once.
Yes. Nostrfy includes a built-in Blossom media server, so uploaded files can be stored by the same process that runs the relay, without a separate file server.
The project provides a step-by-step migration guide. Read it before you begin, and make sure you have a copy of your strfry database or an export of your events.
No. You run the ready-made program and edit a configuration file. Knowledge of Rust is only needed if you want to modify or build the source code yourself.
It validates your nostrfy.toml configuration file and reports errors before you start the relay. Running it first helps avoid startup failures caused by typos or invalid values.
Verdict
Nostrfy is a good fit for operators who want a fast, feature-rich Nostr relay with built-in media storage and a clear configuration model. It is best suited to people comfortable with a terminal and config files, and to communities that want to run their own infrastructure. Because Windows compatibility is listed as unverified, test it on a non-critical system before relying on it. If you only want to use Nostr from your desktop, pick a client instead.