NIPs (Nostr Implementation Possibilities)
Understanding the standards that power Nostr.
What Are NIPs?
NIPs are standardized documents that define:
- Protocol features
- Implementation guidelines
- Best practices
- Extensions to Nostr
Think of them like RFCs for the internet or BIPs for Bitcoin.
Core NIPs
NIP-01: Basic Protocol
- Fundamental protocol flow
- Event structure
- Relay communication
- Foundation for everything
NIP-02: Contact Lists
- Follow lists
- Petnames
- Social graphs
NIP-04: Encrypted Direct Messages
- Private messaging
- End-to-end encryption
- Secure communication
NIP-05: DNS-Based Verification
- Human-readable identifiers
- Verification badges
- username@domain.com format
NIP-09: Event Deletion
- Delete posts
- Deletion requests
- Relay compliance
NIP-10: Text Notes & Replies
- Threading
- Mentions
- Reply structure
NIP-25: Reactions
- Likes and emoji reactions
- Engagement system
NIP-57: Lightning Zaps
- Bitcoin tips
- Payment integration
- Creator monetization
NIPs Supported by Nostria
Nostria supports 30+ NIPs including:
- Basic protocol (NIP-01)
- Contact lists (NIP-02)
- Encrypted DMs (NIP-04)
- Verification (NIP-05)
- Deletion (NIP-09)
- Replies (NIP-10)
- Reactions (NIP-25)
- Lightning (NIP-57)
- And many more!
Why NIPs Matter
Interoperability
- All Nostr apps use same standards
- Your data works everywhere
- Switch apps freely
Innovation
- New features via new NIPs
- Community-driven development
- Backwards compatibility
Flexibility
- Apps choose which NIPs to support
- Gradual adoption
- Experimental features
NIP Development Process
- Proposal: Someone has an idea
- Draft: Write NIP specification
- Discussion: Community feedback
- Refinement: Improve based on feedback
- Adoption: Apps implement it
- Standard: Becomes widely used
Learning More
- NIP Repository
- Read specifications
- Contribute ideas
- Implement in apps