How to decouple your identity from platforms and self-host your NIP-05 verification.

by Alien Investor

────────────────

Greetings, Earthlings and Strategists.

In the old financial system (Fiat), your money does not belong to you—it belongs to the bank. In the old web (Web2), your identity does not belong to you—it belongs to X, YouTube, or Instagram. If they don’t like your face, they shut you down.

On Nostr, things are different. Here, self-custody rules—not just for Bitcoin, but for your voice.

Many of you use Primal or Damus and have addresses like name@primal.net. This is convenient, but it is still a “rented apartment.” If Primal disappears tomorrow, your nice address is gone.

Today, I will show you how to become an owner. We will get the silver Verified Badge by cryptographically linking our identity to our own website (NIP-05).

**The best part: **This method requires no server of your own and the basic version is completely free.

────────────────

The Goal: Independence We want to move away from: Alien-Investor@primal.net (dependent).

We are moving towards one of two levels:

The Entry-Level Solution: your-name@your-user.github.io

• Status: Verified & free.

• Catch: You are away from social media platforms, but technically you are now “hosting” with GitHub (Microsoft).

The Ultimate Solution: your-name@your-domain.org

• Status: 100% Sovereign.

• Requirement: You buy your own domain (approx. 12 €/year). GitHub then becomes merely an interchangeable service provider.

For this guide, we will use GitHub Pages as the technical basis. Why? Because it is stable, provides free HTTPS, and handles the hurdles for us.

────────────────

Step 1: Calculate Your True Name (npub to Hex) This is where many stumble: Your Nostr client (e.g., Primal) usually shows you your npub key (starts with npub1...). This is practical for humans, but for technical verification, we need the “naked” machine code: the Hex Key.

You often won’t find this Hex Key directly in the app. Here is how to get it:

1. Copy your public key (the npub1...) from your profile.

2. Go to a converter like NostrCheck.me or Damus Key Converter.

3. Paste your npub there.

4. Copy the Hex Key displayed. It consists only of numbers (0–9) and letters (a–f), e.g., c4fe4db....

OPSEC Note: This is safe because you are only converting your public key. Never enter your private key (nsec) on websites!

────────────────

**Step 2: **The Infrastructure (GitHub) We are building a free “server” (static website).

1. Create an account on GitHub.

2. Create a new Repository.

3. Name it exactly like this: your-github-name.github.io

   • Example: If your name on GitHub is “satoshi-fan”, the repo must be named satoshi-fan.github.io.

4. Set it to Public.

Note: If the site does not go online automatically, activate GitHub Pages in the Repo Settings under “Pages” for the main branch.

────────────────

**Step 3: **The Proof (The JSON File) The Nostr protocol looks for a very specific file in a very specific folder on your site.

1. Create a file in your new repo.

2. Type the filename: .well-known/nostr.json

   • Important: The dot before well-known is crucial! (If you create the file via the GitHub web interface with the path, the folder is usually created automatically.)

3. The content of the file:

JSON

{
  "names": {
    "satoshi": "PASTE_YOUR_HEX_KEY_FROM_STEP_1_HERE"
  }
}

• "satoshi": This is the name you want before the @ sign (e.g., satoshi@satoshi-fan.github.io).

• The Hex Key: Paste the code you calculated in Step 1 here (without npub!).

4. Save the file (“Commit changes”).

────────────────

**Step 4: **The “Sovereignty Upgrade” in Your Profile Now we must tell the world (the Nostr network) where the proof lies.

1. Open your Nostr profile (e.g., in Primal).

2. Go to Edit Profile.

3. Find the NIP-05 field (or “Nostr Address” / “Verified Address”).

4. Enter your new address there: satoshi@satoshi-fan.github.io

(Only for the Ultimate Solution: If you want to use something like satoshi@alien-investor.org instead of the GitHub address, you must naturally buy the domain alien-investor.org beforehand and link it to GitHub via DNS settings (“CNAME”).)

5. Save.

────────────────

The Result Within a few minutes, magic happens:

1. The client checks your website in the background.

2. It finds your Hex Key in the file.

3. It matches it with your profile.

4. BOOM: Depending on the client, the provider-bound badge disappears, and instead, a neutral verification mark (often silver) or a note like “Verified nostr address” appears.

You have just made yourself more independent of platforms. You are no longer a user. You are an instance. Welcome to freedom.

“Not your keys, not your coins” also applies to your identity. Watch your keys.

────────────────

Further Research & Security

No profile yet? Check out the easiest way to start: How to create a Nostr Identity (Primal).
👉 https://primal.net/Alien-Investor/the-sovereign-protocol-architecture-of-an-unconfiscatable-digital-identity

Important for your security: Learn why your Private Key (nsec) never belongs in the clipboard: Nostr Security: Why you need Amber and must never copy keys.
👉 https://primal.net/Alien-Investor/your-private-key-is-not-a-password-the-case-for-external-signers

────────────────

Money, power, Bitcoin — and OPSEC. I write about financial sovereignty, privacy, and cybersecurity in a world built on control. More at alien-investor.org 👽 (German Only)