A Deep Dive into Nostr Kind Types

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If you’ve been hanging out in the decentralized social space for a while, you’ve maybe heard about Nostr “kinds” — those little numbers that define what’s what in the Nostr protocol.

But what are they, really?

Today, we’re going on a journey through the full spectrum of Nostr kind types.

Whether you’re a dev building the next big client or just a curious user wanting to geek out, this is your guide to understanding the backbone of Nostr’s event system.

Nostr’s kind types are a growing list, shaped by the community through NIPs (Nostr Implementation Possibilities).

These integers tell relays and clients what an event is all about — from your latest zappy post to encrypted DMs or even marketplace listings.

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What Are Nostr Kinds?

In Nostr, every event — think of it as a packet of data — has a “kind” number.

This number is like a label that says, “Hey, I’m a profile update,” or “I’m a chat message,” or “I’m a zap payment.”

The kinds range from 0 to the 40000s, with different ranges serving different purposes: regular posts, replaceable metadata, ephemeral chats, and more.

It’s a beautifully simple system that keeps Nostr flexible and extensible.

Since Nostr is a living protocol, new kinds pop up as developers propose ideas via NIPs.

So, this list isn’t set in stone — it’s more like a snapshot of where we are today.

The Core Nostr Kind Types

Here’s the rundown of the most common and standardized kinds you’ll encounter in the wild. I’ve grouped them by their vibe to keep things digestible.

The Basics: Social Media Essentials

• Kind 0: Metadata
  Your profile card — name, bio, picture. It’s replaceable, meaning relays only keep your latest version. Think of it as your Nostr ID badge.
• Kind 1: Short Text Note
  The classic Nostr “post.” Tweets, replies, hot takes — this is where the action happens. Stored forever (unless you delete it).
• Kind 3: Follow List
  Who you’re following, plus relay hints. Replaceable, so you can update your social circle anytime.
• Kind 4: Encrypted Direct Message
  Private chats, locked up tight with encryption (NIP-04 or NIP-17). Only you and the recipient can peek inside.
• Kind 5: Event Deletion
  Made a typo? Regret that rant? Kind 5 lets you ask relays to zap an event out of existence (if they’re nice enough to listen).
• Kind 6: Repost
  Share someone else’s post with the world. It’s like a retweet with Nostr flair.
• Kind 7: Reaction
  Drop a “+” for a like, a “-” for a dislike, or an emoji to spice things up. Simple, but oh-so-satisfying.

Channels and Chats (NIP-28)

• Kind 40: Channel Creation
  Spin up a public chat room with a name and some metadata.
• Kind 41: Channel Metadata
  Update your channel’s details — replaceable, so it stays fresh.
• Kind 42: Channel Message
  Chat away in your public channel. Think Discord, but Nostr-style.

Zaps and Lightning (NIP-57)

• Kind 9734: Zap Request
  Ask for some sats to rain down on an event or user.
• Kind 9735: Zap Receipt
  Proof the zap went through. Show me the money!

Moderation and Reporting

• Kind 1984: Report
  Flag a post or user for the mods (NIP-56). It’s community policing, decentralized.
• Kind 9 & 43: Hide Message
  Tuck a channel message out of sight (client-side moderation).
• Kind 10 & 44: Mute User
  Silence someone in a channel without kicking them out.

Lists Galore: Organizing Your Nostr Life (NIP-51)

Nostr loves lists, and these replaceable kinds (10000-10030) help you curate your world:

• Kind 10000: Mute List
  Block out the noise — a list of pubkeys you’d rather not hear from.
• Kind 10001: Pinned Notes
  Your top posts, front and center.
• Kind 10002: Relay List
  Your go-to relays for reading and writing (NIP-65).
• Kind 10003: Bookmarks
  Save events for later — your personal Nostr scrapbook.
• Kind 10015: Interests
  Tell the world what you’re into — cats, crypto, or cosmic mysteries.

Fancy Stuff: Parameterized Replaceable Events (30000-39999)

These kinds are replaceable based on your pubkey and a special “d” tag, making them super versatile:

• Kind 30023: Long-Form Content
  Blog posts, articles, essays — the medium.com of Nostr (NIP-23).
• Kind 30008 & 30009: Badges
  Define and award badges (NIP-58). Flex your Nostr achievements!
• Kind 30017 & 30018: Marketplace
  Set up a stall or list a product (NIP-15). Buy, sell, trade — all on Nostr.
• Kind 30066 & 30067: Calendar Events
  Plan date- or time-based events (NIP-52). Party at my relay, anyone?

Ephemeral Events: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (20000-29999)

• Kind 20000-29999
  Real-time stuff like live chats or streaming updates. Relays don’t cling to these — they’re fleeting by design.

The Ranges: How Kinds Are Organized

Nostr’s kind numbers aren’t random — they’re split into ranges with specific roles:

• 0-999 & 1000-9999: Regular events, stored forever (e.g., posts, DMs).
• 10000-19999: Replaceable events, only the latest version sticks around (e.g., metadata, lists).
• 20000-29999: Ephemeral events, temporary and transient.
• 30000-39999: Parameterized replaceable events, tied to a “d” tag for uniqueness.

Why It Matters

Understanding kinds is like knowing the secret sauce of Nostr.

They’re what make this protocol so powerful — a simple framework that can handle everything from tweets to zaps to full-on marketplaces.

And since Nostr is community-driven, new kinds can emerge anytime a clever dev dreams up a NIP and gets the gang on board.

Want to check the latest?

Peek at the Nostr NIPs repo — it’s where the magic happens.

And if you’ve got questions about a specific kind or want to brainstorm a new one, hit me up in the comments or on Nostr itself. Let’s keep building this decentralized dream together!

What’s your favorite kind?

Mine’s gotta be 9735 — nothing beats the zap receipt buzz.

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