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npub
nostr public key, nostr pubkey, npub1
A Nostr public key encoded as a Bech32 string under NIP-19. It is the shareable identifier for a Nostr account.
npub is the standard human-readable encoding for a Nostr public key. NIP-19 wraps the raw 32-byte key in a Bech32 string that starts with the npub1 prefix.
An npub is safe to share. It identifies the account, lets other users find the profile, and gives clients the public key they need to verify signed events. The matching private key is usually stored as an nsec, which should stay secret.
Users often share a NIP-05 identifier such as alice@example.com because it is easier to read than a long npub. The underlying Nostr identity is still the public key, and clients resolve or display the friendlier name next to that key.