Skip to main content

Relays Overview

Relays are the backbone of the Nostr network. They store and forward events between clients, enabling decentralized communication.

What is a Relay?​

A relay is a WebSocket server that:

  • Accepts connections from clients
  • Receives, validates, and stores events
  • Responds to subscription requests (filters)
  • Forwards matching events to subscribers
  • Implements access and moderation policies

Relay Network Topology

Why Multiple Relays?​

Users typically connect to multiple relays for:

ReasonDescription
RedundancyIf one relay goes down, others continue working
ReachDifferent relays have different users
PrivacySpread your metadata across relays
SpeedGeographic distribution for lower latency
FeaturesSome relays offer unique capabilities

Relay Types​

Public Relays​

Open to all users, free to read and write.

  • Pros: Easy to use, wide reach
  • Cons: Potential spam, may have rate limits

Require payment for write access (sometimes read too).

  • Pros: Higher quality, less spam
  • Cons: Requires payment

Private Relays​

Require authentication or invitation.

  • Pros: Controlled access, privacy
  • Cons: Limited reach

Specialized Relays​

Focus on specific content types or communities.

  • Long-form content relays
  • Media-focused relays
  • Community relays

Relay Discovery​

NIP-65: Relay List Metadata​

Users publish their preferred relays:

{
  "kind": 10002,
  "tags": [
    ["r", "wss://relay.damus.io", "read"],
    ["r", "wss://nos.lol", "write"],
    ["r", "wss://relay.nostr.band"]
  ]
}

NIP-11: Relay Information​

Relays serve metadata at their root URL:

curl -H "Accept: application/nostr+json" https://relay.example.com/

Default Relays​

Common starting relays:

const DEFAULT_RELAYS = [
  'wss://relay.damus.io',
  'wss://nos.lol',
  'wss://relay.nostr.band',
  'wss://relay.snort.social',
  'wss://nostr.wine',
  'wss://relay.primal.net',
  'wss://purplepag.es'
];

Relay Responsibilities​

What Relays Must Do​

  • Accept WebSocket connections
  • Validate event signatures
  • Respond to REQ with matching events
  • Send EOSE after stored events
  • Return OK after EVENT

What Relays May Do​

  • Store events permanently or temporarily
  • Implement rate limiting
  • Require authentication (NIP-42)
  • Require payment
  • Filter certain event kinds
  • Implement search (NIP-50)

What Relays Should Not Do​

  • Modify event content
  • Forge signatures
  • Selectively censor without transparency

Getting Started​

Choose your path:

  1. Use Relays - Connect to existing relays
  2. Run a Relay - Set up your own
  3. Configure a Relay - Customize behavior

See Also​