Sing-song is an experimental reversible encoding that converts arbitrary byte strings into pronounceable CV (consonant-vowel) syllables using a 64-syllable alphabet where each syllable maps to exactly 6 bits. Designed for machine-oriented encodings like hex and Base58 that are awkward to speak over the phone, it trades written density for easier oral transcription while remaining deterministic, prefix-stable, and self-delimiting. The author originally developed it to generate deterministic usernames for Nostr npub keys.
Background
Hex and Base58 are widely used in crypto and systems but notoriously difficult to communicate verbally. Projects like Bech32 and spoken-number encodings have explored similar ground for improving usability of long identifiers.
- Source
- Lobsters
- Published
- Aug 20, 2026 at 04:28 AM
- Score
- 5.0 / 10