Nostr identity starts with cryptographic keys. The public key is the stable identifier. The private key signs actions. Every serious Nostr product has to make this power usable without turning key management into a user-hostile ceremony.
Public key as identity
A public key is globally unique and portable. It is not issued by a platform. That is the base reason Nostr can support multiple clients over one social graph.
The user can show an npub format to humans, while software can store and verify the underlying key format.
Private key as signing authority
The private key is not merely a login password. It is the authority to sign events as that identity. If it is stolen, an attacker can impersonate the user. If it is lost and no recovery model exists, the reputation attached to that identity can be stranded.
- Do not paste blindly. Pasting secrets into web pages is the weak onboarding path.
- Prefer signers. NIP-07 and NIP-46 reduce exposure when implemented well.
- Explain consequences. Products should tell users what access they are granting.
Readable names with NIP-05
NIP-05 connects a Nostr key to a DNS-based identifier. For brands and organizations, this matters because a domain can help users recognize an identity. For Crays, domain-backed identifiers can make creator, venue and Association identities easier to understand.
Crays identity design
Crays should treat Nostr identity as a portable root, not as a gimmick. The user may begin with a Crays.net profile, then use the same identity for follows, content access, fan status, venue context, award voting and future governance participation.