Nostr Web Client

Seems like convincing everyone in nostr to use the same exact specs would be a challenge. What if we come up with a system that doesn’t require everyone to use the same specs?

We declare a Decentralized List (kind 9998 per the custom NIP, linked below), called “Bloom Filter Specs”, and list the requisite parameters as “required” tags (rounds, salt, etc). So if you want to use some particular bloom filter, you declare an item on that list (a kind 9999 event) with your choice of specs and then refer to that event wherever necessary.

https://nostrhub.io/naddr1qvzqqqrcvypzpef89h53f0fsza2ugwdc3e54nfpun5nxfqclpy79r6w8nxsk5yp0qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnswf5k6ctv9ehx2aqqzdjx2cm9de68yctvd9ax2epdd35hxarnwrn9hx

Vitor Pamplona 2mo ago 💬 1

Not everyone, just those using the specific kind.

The main issue is that there are thousands of potential hash algorithms to use in bloom filters. If we leave it open, all clients must implement ALL hashing functions just so that things don't break when they suddently face a hash that they don't support. Which, in the end, means that nobody can declare full support to the NIP because there are always new algos.

Also, there is not really a huge gain from tweaking hashing algorithms for Bloom filters. We just need one that works and everybody will be happy.

Just like we only use SHA256 on nostr events.

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Discussion

david 2mo ago 💬 1

The kind 9998 list header declaration could specify the hashing algo. Or we could leave the hashing algo unspecified and recognize that it is not necessary for all clients to support all hashing algos, just like it’s not necessary to support all NIPs. Probably the community will gravitate to one algo organically, unless some devs have strong preferences that are not always aligned.

If getting everyone to agree to all the details is trivial, is there any reason not to go ahead and write up a bloom filter NIP?

david 2mo ago

Currently, nostr:npub1fvmadl0mch39c3hlr9jaewh7uwyul2mlf2hsmkafhgcs3dra6dzqg6szfu imports a whitelist (“global feed minus bots, impersonators, spam and other bad actors”) from Brainstorm via API that can be up to 200k pubkeys. Perhaps that would be a candidate use case.