Pastebin

Pastebin is a web-based text storage and sharing service that allows users to paste and publish blocks of plain text, code, or log excerpts and then share the resulting link with others. It is designed for quick posting and broad distribution of textual content without requiring user accounts for basic use.

Key features of Pastebin include the ability to create public pastes or unlisted pastes that are accessible only by sharing the link. Users can optionally set expiration for a paste, choose a primary language for syntax highlighting from a wide range of programming languages, and add a title or description. The service also provides an API that enables programmatic creation, retrieval, and management of pastes, facilitating integration with development workflows and automated tooling.

Usage and applications of Pastebin are diverse. It is commonly used by developers to share code snippets, error logs, configuration data, or configuration snippets in forums, tutorials, and support discussions. It is also employed for rapid collaboration and for disseminating information that benefits from a simple, shareable link without file uploads.

Security, privacy, and moderation considerations are important. Pastes stored on Pastebin are publicly accessible unless the user chooses an unlisted or password-protected option (where available). Because content is stored on Pastebin’s servers, users should avoid placing sensitive information unless proper privacy controls are used. The platform maintains terms of service and moderation practices to address illicit or inappropriate content.

Historically, Pastebin emerged in the early 2000s and grew into a widely used tool for quick text sharing across communities. It has contributed to the culture of rapid code sharing and incident response workflows, while also attracting attention for misuse in certain contexts.