Pubky: 30-Second Overview

Pubky is a decentralized web protocol that puts you in control of your identity and data.

What It Is

Your Identity = Your Key: No usernames, no accounts. Your public key is your permanent identity.
Your Data, Your Choice: Store data on any homeserver you choose. Switch anytime without losing anything.
Censorship Resistant: Built on the Mainline DHT (15+ years proven, 10M+ nodes). No single authority can block you.
No Blockchain: Fast, free operations using standard web technologies (HTTP/HTTPS).

How It Works

flowchart LR
    You[Your Key] --> PKARR[PKARR Record]
    PKARR --> DHT[Mainline DHT]
    PKARR --> HS[Your Homeserver]
    Apps[Apps] --> HS
    Apps --> DHT

Generate a cryptographic key pair (your identity)
Publish a PKARR record to the DHT (points to your homeserver)
Store your data on any homeserver
Apps discover and access your data via your public key

Key Components

Component	Purpose	Status
Pubky Core	Protocol, homeserver, SDK	✅ Production
Pubky Ring	Mobile key manager (iOS/Android)	✅ Production
Pubky App	Social media demo (pubky.app)	✅ Live (MVP)
Pubky Nexus	Social indexing service	✅ Production
Paykit	Payment protocol	⚠️ WIP
Pubky Noise	Encrypted communication	⚠️ WIP

Why It Matters

Replace Big Tech: No algorithm controls your feed. No company owns your data.

Replace Big State: Censorship becomes impractical when data lives on millions of distributed nodes.

Replace Big Banks: Native integration with Bitcoin/Lightning for true financial freedom (coming soon).

Get Started

Users: Download Pubky Ring → Try pubky.app
Developers: Check Getting Started Guide → Install SDK

Learn More

Full Documentation: Complete knowledge base
FAQ: 63 questions answered
Glossary: Quick term definitions
Vision: Why we’re building this

Bottom Line: Pubky gives you a self-sovereign identity, censorship-resistant data storage, and the freedom to choose your own infrastructure—all using proven, scalable technology.

TLDR