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@ Spatia Nostra
2025-04-04 15:47:44
### A Rose By Any Other Name... or whatever.
NIP-05 is an identifier created by mapping Nostr keys to DNS based identifiers. [More technically](https://nips.nostr.com/5), it the part of the protocol that defines how to do this mapping, but you will often see the resulting identifier referred to as "your NIP-05". You will also see it referenced as a "Nostr Address", a "Nostr ID", or a "Nostr Verification". None of those terms are fully correct but nor are they wrong.
A NIP-05 identifier does look very similar to an email address (i.e. NostrName @ SomeSite .com). It makes it easier to convey your Nostr profile to friends or collogues, since your chosen name is not unique and the npub format is not exactly something you will be wanting to jot down at a business meeting. It can be used to find you and your notes, so the term, Nostr Address, fits in that sense. There are free services that provide a NIP-05 to you, but you may want to consider contracting this service to a paid provider. Free services tend to be abused by spammers. Paid NIP-05 providers are reasonably priced, more reputable, provide select affiliations, and often other services, along with hosting your Nip-05 file.
Nostr ID might be the appropriate term, in a different way. Your NIP-05 is unique. You are not limited to possessing a single one, but only one may be present on your profile at any given time. You can switch them out as needed. Some Nostr-based services will require that you have a particular NIP-05 provider in order to access their relay communities or other features. In that sense, it is an ID, proving that you are a member of that community. These NIP-05 IDs are created and hosted for you by the community relay hosts, with whatever criteria they choose to require.
Nostr Verification comes into consideration if you own or run a website. It can be used to validate your identity. By hosting your NIP-05 file on your own domain, you are, in essence, validating that the same person has ownership of the website and control of the associated Nostr profile. (i.e. YourName @ YourSite .com) This is exceptionally handy for any well known individual who may be subject to impersonation. This is great, too, if you sell a product or service online and would like to use Nostr as a means of advertising and engaging with your customers. Your NIP-05 can signal to your customers that you, or any employee, are affiliated with your company.
All of this, for me to tell you... that you don't need a NIP-05 identifier to use Nostr. It just makes a lot of the things you might want to do simpler. For clear instructions on how to set up your NIP-05 visit [nostr.how](https://nostr.how/en/guides/get-verified)