Stroma
Nostr as a signed, encrypted, relay-backed wire format.
A compact Python protocol layer for Safebox Acorn and other applications that need events, encryption, gift wrapping, and reliable relay exchange—without importing an entire social client.
A narrow protocol layer
Stroma exists to give Acorn a deliberate interface to Nostr. It handles the wire mechanics while leaving application meaning where it belongs.
Signed events
Canonical NIP-01 serialization, secp256k1 keys, BIP-340 signatures, event validation, tags, and NIP-19 identifiers form a small interoperable base.
Protected payloads
NIP-44 authenticated encryption protects opaque application payloads. Stroma implements the current extended-length format and applies an explicit resource ceiling suitable for Acorn.
Relay exchange
Bounded publish and query operations make acknowledgements, EOSE completion, timeouts, deduplication, and connection cleanup visible rather than implicit.
Structure beneath the surface
Stromatolites preserve layer upon layer of structure. Stroma takes inspiration from that pattern: a thin, dependable protocol layer beneath applications, with each responsibility kept visible and testable.
Safebox Web and other applications
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Acorn
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Stroma
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Nostr events and relays
Stroma knows how an event is encoded, protected, published, queried, and verified. It does not know what the event means.
Explore the protocol boundary See how Acorn will use Stroma
Deliberately not a social client
Nostr is often presented through social applications, but its underlying format is more general: signed events, typed payloads, tagged relationships, and replaceable relay infrastructure. Stroma exposes that smaller substrate.
It does not implement feeds, follows, reactions, profiles, wallet state, Cashu, records, Blossom, OpenETR, or a relay server. Those capabilities can use Stroma without becoming part of Stroma.
Project status
Stroma is pre-release software. Its first protocol slice passes official NIP-44 vectors, extended-length boundary tests, key and event tests, NIP-59 round trips, and an in-process relay exchange test. Safebox Acorn still uses its existing Nostr dependency while migration fixtures and live tests are developed.