Rnostr is a relay server for Nostr, the open protocol behind many decentralized social apps. It is aimed at developers and hobbyists who want to run their own relay instead of depending on someone else's. The program is written in Rust and distributed as free, open-source software, and its latest release is v0.4.9.
Relays are the places where Nostr clients send and fetch signed messages, so the relay you use affects how quickly and reliably your posts travel. Rnostr focuses on speed and on staying simple to operate. It has no third-party service dependencies, stores events in LMDB, and lets most settings change without a restart. The codebase was updated in June 2026, so the project is recently maintained. This page covers what the relay does, how to get it on Windows, and how it compares with the clients you may already use.
What Is a Nostr Relay and Why It Matters
Nostr is an open protocol for social apps that does not depend on a single company's servers. Users hold cryptographic keys, write messages as signed events, and publish them through clients. Those events travel to relays, which are servers that accept them, store them, and pass them along to anyone who asks.
Think of a relay as a shared mailbox that many people can use. Because anyone can run one, a user can publish to several relays at once, and if one goes offline, the content may still be available elsewhere. This redundancy is a large part of why relays matter to the whole network, not only to the people who run them.
A relay also checks that events are properly signed before storing them. That check lets relays serve content without having to trust every sender, which keeps the design simple. Rnostr is one of the server implementations that fill this role, and it focuses on making that job fast and easy to operate.
Who Rnostr Is For
Rnostr is aimed at developers, community operators and technically comfortable hobbyists. Its strengths matter most to people who run infrastructure rather than simply use an app.
A developer building a Nostr client might run a local relay to test how the app behaves when events arrive quickly or in large batches. Someone organizing a small community could host a relay that members use for their posts, keeping the content under the group's own control. A team with specific rules about which events to store can use the library option to build a relay around those rules.
If your goal is simply to read and write posts on a phone or desktop, Rnostr is probably not the first tool you need. You would start with a client and perhaps connect it to public relays. Rnostr becomes useful when you want to be the one providing the relay.
Running a Relay Responsibly
Operating a relay is more than installing a program. Storage grows as events accumulate, so plan disk space and keep the data folder backed up. Bandwidth use rises with the number of clients connecting and subscribing, so consider how many people you expect before you share your relay address.
You should also decide on basic rules. Some operators limit which events they accept or how large they can be, while others run more open relays with fewer restrictions. Hot-reloadable settings help here, because you can adjust limits as you learn what your traffic looks like without taking the service down.
Finally, treat the relay like any internet-facing service. Keep the host system updated, restrict the ports you open, and watch the console output for errors. A relay set up thoughtfully tends to serve its users reliably for longer than one launched in a hurry.
Key features
Runs without outside services
Fast event storage with LMDB
Hot-reloadable configuration
Usable as a library
Supported coins
Rnostr is built around the Nostr network, the protocol that connects relays and clients. It does not manage coins, tokens or wallets, so a coin-support list does not apply here. Its job is to receive, store and deliver Nostr events.
How to install Rnostr on Windows
- 1
Open the official source page
Go to the project's GitHub repository at github.com/rnostr/rnostr and open the Releases page. Download only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page, not from mirrors or file-sharing sites. Look for a Windows build among the release assets, since Windows support may vary from one release to another.
- 2
Verify the downloaded file
If the release publishes a SHA-256 checksum or a signature, compare it with your downloaded file before running anything. On Windows, PowerShell's Get-FileHash command can calculate the hash for you. If the values do not match, delete the file and download it again.
- 3
Extract and organize the files
Unpack the archive into a folder you control, and keep the configuration and data in a location you can back up easily. Separating the program from the event storage makes future updates simpler, because you can replace the program without touching your stored events.
-
Start the relay or use Docker
Launch the relay from a terminal window, or run it in a Docker container if you prefer a contained setup. Docker is one of the listed platforms, which suits Windows users who already run Docker Desktop. Confirm the relay is listening before you connect any clients.
System requirements
- Docker, if you choose to run the relay in a container
How to use Rnostr
Rnostr runs as a server, so using it means starting the relay and pointing your Nostr clients at its WebSocket address. The steps below cover your first session after installation.
- Start the relay from your terminal or Docker container and check that it reports it is listening.
- Open the configuration and review the settings that matter most for your setup, such as where events are stored and which limits apply.
- Adjust one setting at a time, save the file, and confirm in the console output that the change was applied without a restart.
- In a Nostr client that lets you add relays, enter your relay's WebSocket address, which usually begins with ws:// when running locally.
- Publish a short test note through that client, then confirm it appears when the client requests events from your relay.
- Set a regular schedule for backing up the storage folder, and check the GitHub Releases page for newer versions before updating.
Start with a local test, and open the relay to other people only after your settings and traffic limits feel right.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source, with the source code published on GitHub
- Written in Rust, a language known for performance and memory safety
- No dependency on third-party services
- Event storage on LMDB designed for speed
- Most settings can be changed without restarting the relay
- Can be used as a library to build custom relays
- Recently updated, with the latest release at v0.4.9
- Windows availability depends on the release, so check the assets carefully
- Running a relay requires basic server administration knowledge
- Primarily useful to operators and developers rather than casual users
- The feature list does not mention a graphical interface, so expect a terminal-based workflow
- Storage and bandwidth needs grow over time as events and connections accumulate
Is Rnostr safe?
Rnostr is a server that accepts and stores signed Nostr events. It is not a wallet or a miner, but it still runs code on your computer and accepts network connections. Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page, and avoid unofficial builds shared in chats or on forums. Compare the SHA-256 checksum or verify the signature whenever the release provides one. Think carefully before exposing the relay to the internet: open ports and misconfiguration can invite abuse, so use a firewall and open only what you need. The project was updated in June 2026, but check the latest version on the official website before installing.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/rnostr/rnostr. 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 the Nostr category are clients, the apps people use to write and read posts. Amethyst, Gossip, Vega and Coop sit on the user side, while NAK and Nostr Commander RS are command-line tools for working with events. Rnostr is different because it is a relay: it accepts events from clients and keeps them available for others. If you want to read or post, a client such as Gossip or Amethyst is the right starting point. If you want to host the infrastructure those clients connect to, Rnostr is the program to look at. Nostr VPN solves a different problem entirely, so it is less directly comparable.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v0.4.9
- Last update
- 6 Jun 2026
- Windows support
- Likely (builds for Windows; check releases)
- Source code
- github.com/rnostr/rnostr
Frequently asked questions
Windows builds are listed for Rnostr, but availability can vary between releases. Check the assets on the GitHub Releases page for a Windows file before you start. If you cannot find one, running the relay in Docker is another route, since Docker is a supported platform.
Yes, Rnostr is free and open source, and its source code is published on GitHub. You can run your own relay without buying a license. Keep in mind that a server running at home or in a data center may have its own costs for power, bandwidth and storage.
It can be, provided you take standard precautions. Download the program only from the official source, compare checksums when they are published, and avoid unofficial builds. Because a relay accepts network connections, set up your firewall carefully before making it reachable from the internet.
A Nostr relay is a server that receives signed events from clients, stores them, and forwards them to other clients that ask for them. Relays let Nostr work without a single company controlling the network. You can connect one client to several relays at once, which improves reliability if one server goes offline.
No. Most people use Nostr through a client app and connect to public relays run by other operators. Running Rnostr makes sense if you want your own relay for testing, for a community you manage, or for custom behavior that public relays do not offer.
A client is the app where you write and read posts, while Rnostr is the server that stores and delivers events. You need a client to interact with people, and a relay is where those events live. The two work together, so a complete setup usually involves both.
Yes, Docker is listed as a supported platform, so running the relay in a container is an option if you prefer not to install it natively. You still need Docker installed on your system. Containers keep the relay isolated from the rest of your software and make it easier to move the setup later.
Most configuration options can be hot reloaded, so many changes take effect while the relay keeps running. This is useful for adjusting limits or policies on a live server. Check the console output after each change to confirm it was applied as expected.
Verdict
Rnostr suits developers and operators who want a fast, self-contained Nostr relay they control. It is free, open source, written in Rust, and recently updated, with its latest release at v0.4.9. If you only want to post and read, a Nostr client such as Gossip or Amethyst is a better starting point. If you plan to host infrastructure, test Rnostr on your own machine before exposing it to other people.