How to secure wastebin for public internet access?

Use a reverse proxy like Nginx with rate limiting and SSL, as the README advises against direct exposure due to lack of DoS mitigations. Set environment variables like WASTEBIN_SIGNING_KEY for persistent cookies.

wastebin vs PrivateBin: which is better for self-hosting?

wastebin is lighter and simpler with a single binary, but PrivateBin offers more built-in security and encryption features. Choose wastebin for minimal resource use in controlled networks, PrivateBin for public-facing sites.

How to change the theme in wastebin?

Set the WASTEBIN_THEME environment variable to one of eight options like 'gruvbox' or 'solarized'. A preview page is linked in the README to compare themes before deployment.

Can wastebin handle permanent pastes?

Yes, by setting expires to 0 or a large value in the API, but the SQLite database may require manual backups. Expiration is configurable, but long-term storage isn't the primary focus.

How to integrate wastebin with command line tools?

Use the REST API with curl or the included wastebin-ctl tool for database management. The README provides bash functions for pasting from clipboard or stdin, and there's a neovim plugin available.

What happens if wastebin restarts with default settings?

Cookies signed with a random WASTEBIN_SIGNING_KEY become invalid, preventing creators from deleting pastes. Always set a persistent key in production to avoid this issue.

Open-Awesome

Wastebin

MITRust3.6.2Self-Hosted

A minimal, self-hostable pastebin with syntax highlighting, encryption, and a clean web interface.

Visit Website GitHub

783 stars54 forks0 contributors

What is Wastebin?

wastebin is a minimal, self-hostable pastebin service built with Rust. It allows users to upload and share text or code snippets with features like syntax highlighting, encryption, and configurable expiration times. It solves the need for a simple, private pastebin that can be deployed on personal servers.

Target Audience

Developers, sysadmins, or teams looking for a lightweight, self-hosted pastebin to share code snippets, logs, or text privately or within a controlled environment.

Value Proposition

Developers choose wastebin for its simplicity, low resource footprint, and robust feature set including encryption and syntax highlighting, all packaged as a single binary with easy Docker deployment.

Overview

wastebin is a pastebin 📝

Use Cases

Best For

Self-hosting a private pastebin for team collaboration
Sharing code snippets with syntax highlighting in multiple languages
Temporarily storing logs or command outputs with expiration
Creating encrypted pastes for sensitive information
Quickly sharing text via QR codes on mobile devices
Integrating paste functionality into CLI workflows via API

Not Ideal For

Public-facing deployments without reverse proxy and rate limiting
Organizations needing user accounts, roles, or audit trails
Use cases requiring file uploads or large media storage
High-traffic sites where SQLite may bottleneck concurrency

Pros & Cons

Pros

Single Binary Deployment

Packaged as a standalone executable with no runtime dependencies, enabling easy deployment via Docker, Nix, or direct download from releases.

Extensive Syntax Highlighting

Supports over 170 languages using the syntect library, with eight color themes and automatic light/dark mode detection for code readability.

Strong Encryption Defaults

Encrypts pastes with ChaCha20Poly1305 and uses argon2 for password hashing, providing secure sharing for sensitive text without extra setup.

Flexible Expiration Options

Allows pastes to expire based on time, reads, or creator deletion, configurable via environment variables for granular control.

Cons

No Built-in Authentication

Lacks user accounts, admin panels, or moderation tools, making it unsuitable for multi-tenant or regulated environments without external add-ons.

Security Requires Manual Hardening

The README explicitly warns against internet-facing deployment without reverse proxy rate limiting, adding operational complexity for secure public use.

Limited File Size and Type

Restricts pastes to 1MB by default and lacks support for binary file uploads, which may not suit teams sharing logs or large outputs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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