Nostr NIP-05 Verification Guide

Nostr NIP-05 Verification for kheAI

In decentralized systems, identity is everything. If anyone can spin up a keypair in seconds, the question becomes:

How do you prove that a given identity is really you—without reverting to centralized gatekeepers?

That’s where NIP-05 comes in. It’s a simple, elegant bridge between the traditional web (domains, DNS, HTTPS) and the decentralized Nostr network.

This post documents how kai@kheai.com was verified using NIP-05, why it works, and how this fits into the broader Web3 landscape.

What Is Nostr (in One Breath)

Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) is an open protocol for decentralized communication.

No central servers
No platform-owned accounts
No algorithmic gatekeeping

Your identity is your public key. Everything else is optional.

The Identity Problem in Decentralized Systems

Public keys are powerful—but also opaque:

npub1sjxaa2rmkkw6kv8x2njd3jmlwrac2mkhwrxqh0axh0l57p3sylmq4x07uc

That string proves cryptographic ownership, but:

Is it really Kai?
Is it really associated with kheAI?
Or did someone just copy the name and avatar?

We need human-readable verification without centralized authorities.

Enter NIP-05 (Verified Nostr Addresses)

NIP-05 is a Nostr Improvement Proposal that allows identities like:

kai@kheai.com

to cryptographically map to a Nostr public key via HTTPS.

It works by hosting a simple JSON file on your own domain.

No tokens. No fees. No third parties.

How NIP-05 Works (Conceptually)

A Nostr client sees kai@kheai.com

It fetches:

https://kheai.com/.well-known/nostr.json

The file returns a mapping:

{
  "names": {
    "kai": "npub1sjxaa2rmkkw6kv8x2njd3jmlwrac2mkhwrxqh0axh0l57p3sylmq4x07uc"
  }
}

The client checks:
- HTTPS validity
- Domain control
- Pubkey match

If everything aligns → verified.

kheAI Implementation (Real Example)

Verified Identity

kai@kheai.com

Public Key

npub1sjxaa2rmkkw6kv8x2njd3jmlwrac2mkhwrxqh0axh0l57p3sylmq4x07uc

Hosted File

Path:

/.well-known/nostr.json

Content:

{
  "names": {
    "kai": "npub1sjxaa2rmkkw6kv8x2njd3jmlwrac2mkhwrxqh0axh0l57p3sylmq4x07uc"
  }
}

Accessible at:

https://kheai.com/.well-known/nostr.json

This proves that the same entity controlling kheai.com also controls the Nostr key.

Astro + Vercel Setup (Minimal & Clean)

Because kheAI already runs on Astro + GitHub + Vercel, the setup is trivial:

/public
  /.well-known
    nostr.json

Push → auto-deploy → done.

No backend. No server logic. No dependencies.

Why This Is Powerful

NIP-05 quietly solves several Web3 pain points:

1. Decentralized Identity Without KYC

You prove control, not citizenship
No documents, no approvals

2. Anti-Impersonation

Names are cheap
Domains are costly to fake

3. Composability

Works across all Nostr clients
No lock-in

4. Longevity

As long as DNS and HTTPS exist, this works

Is Nostr “Web3”?

Yes—but with an important nuance.

What Nostr Shares with Web3

Cryptographic identity (keys, signatures)
Censorship resistance
User-owned accounts
Bitcoin Lightning integrations (zaps, tips)

What Nostr Is Not

❌ Not a blockchain
❌ No native token
❌ No consensus layer

Instead:

Nostr is a protocol layer—the communication pipes.

Blockchains handle state and value. Nostr handles speech and presence.

Together, they form a more complete decentralized stack.

Why This Aligns with kheAI

kheAI focuses on:

Verifiability over branding
Proof over promises
Infrastructure over hype

NIP-05 fits naturally:

Verifiable identity
Domain-level trust
No platform dependence

Just like Proof of Purity for medicine, this is Proof of Identity for communication.

Final Thoughts

NIP-05 isn’t flashy—and that’s exactly why it matters.

It’s:

Boring in the best way
Cheap
Durable
Human-readable

If Web3 is going to grow up, it needs more of this:

Simple primitives that compose cleanly with the real world.

If you control a domain, you already have more power than most social platforms want you to realize.

Reference: Get Verified