NIP-EES Core

A working NIP-EES + NIP-17 Nostr client.

Sign in with an nsec. Pick a passphrase. The nsec and passphrase derive an independent messaging keypair on your device — used to send and receive end-to-end encrypted DMs. The nsec never leaves the browser. The passphrase is never stored anywhere.

Same nsec + same passphrase always produces the same messaging identity. Same nsec + a different passphrase produces a completely separate identity. The two identities have no on-wire relationship.

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NIP-EES

Identity derivation:

1. salt           = SHA256(npubBytes ‖ "nip-ees")
2. passphraseHash = scrypt(passphrase, salt, N=2^19, r=8, p=1, dkLen=32)
3. messagingPriv  = HKDF-SHA256(nsecBytes, passphraseHash, "nip-ees-messaging", 32)
4. messagingPub   = secp256k1(messagingPriv)

The derivation is intentionally one-way and passphrase-bound. If the passphrase is forgotten, the derived identity is sealed forever — the nsec alone cannot reconstruct it. There is no recovery path. This is the primary security property.

Messages are standard NIP-17 gift wraps (kind:1059 → kind:13 → kind:14), with a ["encrypted", "nip-ees", "v1"] tag on the rumor so NIP-EES-aware clients recognize the marker.

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Run

npm install
npm run dev

Then open http://localhost:3000.

Flow:

1. Sign in with an existing nsec or generate a fresh one.
2. Create an identity — name + passphrase.
3. Paste a recipient npub, send a message.

To talk to yourself across two identities: open the app in a second browser profile (or incognito), sign in with a different nsec, create a second identity, and message between them using each side's npub.

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Source

src/lib/
  crypto.ts       NIP-EES key derivation (SHA256 → scrypt → HKDF)
  giftWrap.ts     NIP-17 rumor → seal → gift wrap, plus unwrap
  keys.ts         bech32 helpers (nsec ↔ npub ↔ hex)
  relay.ts        SimplePool wrapper — publish + subscribe

src/stores/
  useAuth.ts      nsec + parent pubkey
  useIdentity.ts  active derived identity
  useMessaging.ts conversations

src/app/
  page.tsx              landing
  signin/page.tsx       paste/generate nsec
  create/page.tsx       name + passphrase → derive
  unlock/page.tsx       passphrase → re-derive
  messaging/page.tsx    subscribe + send + display

14 source files. ~1,200 LOC.

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Beyond NIP-EES + NIP-17

Production at chattr.buzz layers additional protocols on top of the same identity primitive:

• MLS / Marmot group chat (kinds 443, 444, 445)
• Encrypted file vault on Blossom
• Encrypted email over kind:30078 and SES
• 1:1 voice and video over NIP-100 (kind:25050)
• Lightning payments (NWC, Cashu, LNURL-pay)
• Web Push, NIP-05 verification, kind:0 profiles

Each of those builds on the derived messaging identity that this project implements.

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License

MIT.