<p>How should I visually distinguish between the different types of keys available for the end user?</p>

<p>So far the common keys I've come across are</p>

<ul>
<li>Private key (not to be shared)</li>
<li>Bitcoin address (to be shared, and may or may not have a backing private key)</li>
<li><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/3059/1878">Compressed public key</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/User:Casascius/Passphrased_private_key_proposal" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Casascius keys</a> (where the private key is split in half totaling 3 keys)</li>
<li>Multi signatures</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-17T13:26:43.933Z
I'm just looking for an official or preferred standard I can give to my graphic designer.  Lacking that she'll just come up with something based on Armory and QT.
makerofthings7
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-18T01:01:49.437Z
Please do not use the term Public Key.   That isn't  a good term to describe what a Bitcoin address is.  It is a Bitcoin Address.

A Bitcoin Address is a hash of the private key, but calling it a public key is confusing it with PKI.

Programmers working on the code might use public key, but outside of that, Bitcoin Address is the preferred term.
Stephen Gornick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-18T01:17:16.853Z
@StephenGornick I updated references to public key and replaced with Bitcoin Address
makerofthings7
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-30T13:57:11.570Z
Bitcoin is new, there isn't any recurring standard that I've seen. Come up with something interesting and it'll probably catch on
ryan.ralph
<development><private-key><public-key><multi-signature>
What are the preferred UI images for Bitcoin Address & private key and multi-signature key?
makerofthings7
# What are the preferred UI images for Bitcoin Address & private key and multi-signature key?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-17)

How should I visually distinguish between the different types of keys available for the end user?

So far the common keys I've come across are

* Private key (not to be shared)
* Bitcoin address (to be shared, and may or may not have a backing private key)
* [Compressed public key](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/3059/1878)
* [Casascius keys](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/User:Casascius/Passphrased_private_key_proposal) (where the private key is split in half totaling 3 keys)
* Multi signatures

**Tags:** development, private-key, public-key, multi-signature

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I'm just looking for an official or preferred standard I can give to my graphic designer.  Lacking that she'll just come up with something based on Armory and QT.  
> **username_1**: Please do not use the term Public Key.   That isn't  a good term to describe what a Bitcoin address is.  It is a Bitcoin Address.  A Bitcoin Address is a hash of the private key, but calling it a public key is confusing it with PKI.  Programmers working on the code might use public key, but outside of that, Bitcoin Address is the preferred term.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I updated references to public key and replaced with Bitcoin Address  
> **username_2**: Bitcoin is new, there isn't any recurring standard that I've seen. Come up with something interesting and it'll probably catch on  

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## 0 answers

