hastebin

Hastebin is an open-source pastebin-style service designed for the quick sharing of plain text snippets, code, or logs. It emphasizes a simple, fast interface: a user can store a short piece of text and receive a short URL that others can use to view the content. The concept has led to multiple public instances as well as self-hosted variants.

Implementation and API concepts vary by deployment, but most hastebin-style servers offer a lightweight HTTP API. A typical flow is to POST the text to a documents endpoint and receive a unique key. The content is then accessible at a URL based on that key, with a raw endpoint often available (for example, a path like /raw/<key>) that returns the snippet without the surrounding page. Storage backends differ by installation, ranging from filesystem storage to databases such as Redis or MongoDB, and retention periods (time-to-live) are configurable by the operator.

Usage and scope: hastebin is commonly employed to share short code blocks, error messages, configuration snippets, or logs. It suits quick debugging or collaboration workflows where a compact, readable link is preferable to longer attachments. Public instances commonly do not require authentication to create or view snippets, though policies vary by deployment.

Security and privacy: Data on public instances is typically accessible to anyone with the link. Most public deployments do not provide end-to-end encryption, and content may be retained for a limited period according to the server’s settings. For sensitive data, users should consider running a private instance or applying additional privacy measures, such as TLS and careful access controls on self-hosted setups.

See also: Pastebin, Gist, dpaste, and other pastebin-like services.