Ever wonder what those last 6 characters of your npub actually do? They're not random, they're a mathematical safety net that catches up to 4 typos with 100% certainty. New post exploring how Bech32's BCH codes work, why Nostr chose bech32 over bech32m, and why the algorithm deliberately refuses to auto-correct your mistakes (hint: it could "fix" your key into someone else's). The same math that guided deep space probes now protects your Nostr identity. nostr:naddr1qqgx2dtrxcmxgvrp89jnyer9vymrsq3qklkk3vrzme455yh9rl2jshq7rc8dpegj3ndf82c3ks2sk40dxt7qxpqqqp65wfy2xxr
Replies (2)
bech32 is great for presenting QR codes because you get another layer of error correction. With QR codes, you can use plaintext, base58, or base64 for more efficient encoding but bech32 wins out in the end, IMHO, due to the error correction.
I’m always grateful when the skilled take time to teach this kind of depth within the tech we use. Without those willing to teach, we risk taking it for granted and loosing sight of the structure that makes it a powerful solution. More importantly, we lose sight of what sets it apart from the less quality and risky alternatives.
Learn. Teach. Build.
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