Pubky Core - Frequently Asked Questions
Overview & Philosophy
Q1. What is Pubky, and why was it developed?
Pubky is a new kind of web built on public key domains instead of usernames or rented accounts. Your public key becomes your self-sovereign domain. Pubky uses PKDNS, which runs on the Mainline DHT.
Pubky introduces a semantic social graph driven by tags and trust, not ads and opaque feeds.
It was created to counter:
- Poisoned algorithms
- Censorship
- Walled gardens and data harvesting
Q2. Why is Pubky critical for a free-market society?
Because it removes gatekeepers by design. Identities are user-owned; hosting/indexing are interchangeable.
Q3. What’s the relationship between Pubky and Slashtags?
Slashtags was a previous Synonym project using Hypercore instead of PKDNS and homeservers. It shared similar goals.
Q4. Is Pubky open source?
Yes. Under the MIT license. View on GitHub
Architecture & Resolution (PKARR, PKDNS, DHT)
Q5. What is PKARR?
“Public Key Addressable Resource Records” your signed DNS-like records published on the DHT.
Q6. What is PKDNS?
A resolver that maps .pk domains to endpoints using public keys.
Q7. How does Pubky compare to DNS?
Pubky replaces ICANN with your public key. You publish and resolve records yourself.
Q8. What format does PKDNS use?
DNS-style RR, signed under your key, shared via the Mainline DHT.
Q9. Does it support CNAME/SRV/HTTPS indirection?
Yes, with caveats, avoid deep/brittle recursion.
Q10. Are DHTs part of the clearnet?
Yes, via UDP. Web browsers require bridges due to lack of raw UDP support.
Q11. How can browsers interact with the DHT?
Via HTTP bridges, resolvers like PKDNS, or native helpers.
Q12. Do others need PKDNS to connect to Pubky sites?
No special setup in the Pubky App. Other apps can use public or self-hosted PKDNS resolvers.
Homeservers & Hosting
Q13. What are homeservers?
Regular web servers that host your content. Anyone can run one.
Q14. Can I run one at home?
Yes. You’ll need port forwarding or tunneling if behind NAT.
Q15. How is redundancy handled?
Use mirrors in PKARR. Clients pick healthy ones.
Q16. Does it support load balancing?
Yes, for reads. Writes go to a single primary.
Q17. Can homeservers sign my data?
No. Signing is done by the client.
Q18. How to self-host a homeserver?
Deploy the package/container, configure HTTPS, publish in PKARR.
Q19. Can Pubky integrate with Tor?
Yes, via .onion endpoints, but it’s not yet tested officially.
Identity, Keys & Security
Q20. How are keys managed?
With apps like Pubky Ring, which manages device sessions and PKARR.
Q21. Does Pubky support key rotation?
Not yet standardized, possible manually via PKARR fallback logic.
Q22. What if my key is lost or hacked?
Migrate to a new key, update PKARR, and alert your graph.
Q23. Can I use the same seed as Nostr?
Yes, but most users prefer separate secrets due to risk.
Q24. How does identity trust work?
No global authority, trust is built through social graph, tags, and interaction.
Publishing, Privacy & Moderation
Q25. How do I publish content?
Host it on a homeserver and link it in your PKARR.
Q26. Is Pubky suitable for private sharing?
Not yet. All current use assumes public content.
Q27. Where does moderation happen?
At the homeserver and indexer level (e.g., Synonym’s Nexus).
Q28. How does Pubky resist spam?
Via CAPTCHAs, rate-limits, invites, and graph distance rules.
Q29. How does Paykit fit in?
For payments, monetization, portable receipts, and paywalled content.
Q30. Can Pubky do everything Nostr can?
Yes, and more. Pubky includes DHT-based discovery and semantic tagging.
Interoperability, Ecosystem & Onboarding
Q31. Pubky vs IPFS
Pubky is identity-first and mutable; IPFS is content-first and immutable.
Q32. Pubky vs Nostr
Pubky uses homeservers and PKARR for hosting; Nostr uses relays. Pubky has semantic discovery.
Q33. Pubky vs Bluesky
Pubky is key-native and decentralized. Bluesky relies on DID directories and centralized servers.
Q34. Pubky vs Farcaster
Pubky = key-owned + off-chain. Farcaster = chain-anchored + relay-dependent.
Q35. Will Pubky integrate with other protocols?
Bridges are possible, but not currently in development.
Q36. Are there mobile apps?
Yes, Pubky.app (PWA) and Pubky Ring (native mobile). More apps are welcome from the community.
Q37. How do users join Pubky App?
Via invite codes from homeservers. Prevents spam while preserving privacy.
Q38. Indexer vs Homeserver?
- Homeserver = stores user data
- Indexer = enables search/feeds across homeservers
Q39. What’s the “Franky” rewrite?
Pubky App 2.0: Focus on reliability, scale, UX. Coming Q4 2025.
Operations, Resilience & Scale
Q40. How do I migrate providers?
Add mirror → update PKARR → let caches sync → retire old host.
Q41. What if Synonym disappears?
Nothing breaks. Your key, data, and graph are yours.
Q42. What if my ISP censors my homeserver?
Switch hosts, use Tor/VPN, republish PKARR.
Q43. How often does PKARR update?
Periodically, every few hours is typical.
Q44. What if I spam the DHT?
You’ll be rate-limited. Publish sensibly.
Q45. Does DHT scale globally?
Yes. Mainline DHT already does, Pubky’s usage is lightweight.
Q46. Why do some say Nostr needs a DHT?
Because relay-only networks don’t scale easily without coordination.
Q47. What about private data in Pubky?
Short-term: Noise-based channels.
Long-term: Cryptree-style systems and further R&D.