NIP-11 defines how relays expose metadata about themselves, including supported NIPs, limitations, and contact information.

How It Works

Clients fetch relay information by making an HTTP GET request to the relay’s WebSocket URL with an Accept: application/nostr+json header. The relay returns a JSON document describing its capabilities.

Key Fields

  • name - Human-readable relay name
  • description - What the relay is for
  • supported_nips - List of implemented NIPs
  • limitation - Restrictions like max message size, required auth, etc.
  • self - The relay’s own public key (new field for relay identity)

Use Cases

  • Clients can check if a relay supports required features before connecting
  • Discovery services can index relay capabilities
  • Users can see relay policies before publishing

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