NIP-65 lets users advertise the relays where they write and where they prefer to receive mentions.
What it standardizes
It helps clients discover a user's likely relay locations instead of guessing blindly or relying only on fixed global relay lists.
- Protocol layer. NIP-65 is not a consumer product. It is a convention that clients, relays or adjacent services may choose to support.
- Interoperability. The value is not that every app looks the same. The value is that different apps can understand the same signed data.
- Optionality. NIPs are implementation possibilities. Builders should implement the pieces that serve their product, security model and user journey.
Implementation notes
A user publishes a replaceable event with relay tags and optional read/write markers. Clients use that metadata to route reads and mentions more intelligently.
- Client responsibility. Clients need to explain the feature clearly because the user sees an experience, not a spec.
- Relay responsibility. Relays may support only the parts that fit their storage, moderation, authentication and business model.
- Indexing responsibility. Search, discovery and context often require extra indexers or opinionated clients on top of the raw protocol.
Crays relevance
Crays can use relay metadata to connect online profiles with venue relays, community relays and Crays-operated infrastructure.
- Crays.net. Profiles, creator pages and social proof need portable identity rather than a closed account table.
- Crays World. Real venues need local context, member state, reputation and payments that can survive app changes.
- DAO path. Future governance needs signed identity, membership context and auditable participation signals.
Risks and design discipline
Relay lists can become stale or low quality. Clients need fallback logic, migration paths and user-friendly relay management.
- Do not overpromise. A NIP gives a shared format. It does not magically solve onboarding, moderation, UX or custody.
- Keep the private key away. Any feature that increases private-key exposure increases the attack surface.
- Use plain language. Most users need outcomes: login, pay, publish, vote, prove status, access a venue.