NIP-19

Bech32 encoding and decoding for Nostr identifiers (npub, nsec, note, nprofile, nevent, naddr).

Import

import { nip19 } from 'nostr-core'

decode

function decode(code: string): DecodedResult

Decodes any NIP-19 bech32-encoded string.

Parameter	Type	Description
code	string	Bech32-encoded string

Returns: DecodedResult - typed union based on the prefix.

Throws: Error on invalid format or missing required fields.

const result = nip19.decode('npub1...')

switch (result.type) {
  case 'npub':
    console.log('Public key:', result.data) // hex string
    break
  case 'nsec':
    console.log('Secret key:', result.data) // Uint8Array
    break
  case 'note':
    console.log('Event ID:', result.data) // hex string
    break
  case 'nprofile':
    console.log('Pubkey:', result.data.pubkey)
    console.log('Relays:', result.data.relays)
    break
  case 'nevent':
    console.log('Event ID:', result.data.id)
    console.log('Author:', result.data.author)
    break
  case 'naddr':
    console.log('Identifier:', result.data.identifier)
    console.log('Pubkey:', result.data.pubkey)
    console.log('Kind:', result.data.kind)
    break
}

DecodedResult

type DecodedResult =
  | { type: 'npub'; data: string }
  | { type: 'nsec'; data: Uint8Array }
  | { type: 'note'; data: string }
  | { type: 'nprofile'; data: ProfilePointer }
  | { type: 'nevent'; data: EventPointer }
  | { type: 'naddr'; data: AddressPointer }

nsecEncode

function nsecEncode(key: Uint8Array): string

Encodes a secret key as an nsec1... string.

Parameter	Type	Description
key	Uint8Array	32-byte secret key

Returns: string - bech32-encoded nsec1...

npubEncode

function npubEncode(hex: string): string

Encodes a public key as an npub1... string.

Parameter	Type	Description
hex	string	64-char hex public key

Returns: string - bech32-encoded npub1...

noteEncode

function noteEncode(hex: string): string

Encodes an event ID as a note1... string.

Parameter	Type	Description
hex	string	64-char hex event ID

Returns: string - bech32-encoded note1...

nprofileEncode

function nprofileEncode(profile: ProfilePointer): string

Encodes a profile pointer with optional relay hints.

Parameter	Type	Description
profile	ProfilePointer	Profile data

const encoded = nip19.nprofileEncode({
  pubkey: '3bf0c63f...',
  relays: ['wss://relay.example.com'],
})

neventEncode

function neventEncode(event: EventPointer): string

Encodes an event pointer with optional relay hints, author, and kind.

Parameter	Type	Description
event	EventPointer	Event data

const encoded = nip19.neventEncode({
  id: 'abc123...',
  relays: ['wss://relay.example.com'],
  author: '3bf0c63f...',
  kind: 1,
})

naddrEncode

function naddrEncode(addr: AddressPointer): string

Encodes a replaceable event address.

Parameter	Type	Description
addr	AddressPointer	Address data

const encoded = nip19.naddrEncode({
  identifier: 'my-article',
  pubkey: '3bf0c63f...',
  kind: 30023,
  relays: ['wss://relay.example.com'],
})

Pointer Types

ProfilePointer

type ProfilePointer = {
  pubkey: string
  relays?: string[]
}

EventPointer

type EventPointer = {
  id: string
  relays?: string[]
  author?: string
  kind?: number
}

AddressPointer

type AddressPointer = {
  identifier: string
  pubkey: string
  kind: number
  relays?: string[]
}