# Nostr: What are NIPs, and why do they matter?

NIPs are Nostr Improvement Proposals that document how clients and relays can implement shared features.

2026-08-12
::
Switchboard Tech Services


![Nostr: What are NIPs, and why do they matter?](https://switchboardtechservices.com/static/images/defaults/guides.webp)

## Short answer

NIPs are Nostr Improvement Proposals that document how clients and relays can implement shared features. NIP-01 describes the basic event and relay flow; other NIPs define optional behavior such as profiles, relays, messages, and zaps. A NIP's existence does not mean every app supports it. Check its status and both sides' implementation before promising that a feature will work.

## Sources

[Nostr Improvement Proposals index](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/README.md), [NIP-01: Basic protocol](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/01.md).

- Categories:
  [Nostr](https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/categories/nostr/)
- Tags:
  [#Nostr](https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/tags/nostr/), [#Decentralized Social](https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/tags/decentralized-social/), [#Open Protocols](https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/tags/open-protocols/), [#Protocol Basics](https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/tags/protocol-basics/)

[Guides RSS](https://switchboardtechservices.com/feeds/guides.xml "Subscribe using an RSS reader")

---

Canonical URL: https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/nostr-what-are-nips-and-why-do-they-matter/

Language: en-us

Content type: guide

Author: Switchboard Tech Services

Published: 2026-08-13T04:47:06+00:00

Description: A practical answer to What are NIPs, and why do they matter?