Marmot-TS

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Credentials ​

MLS uses credentials to identify group members. Marmot uses the "basic" credential type, storing Nostr public keys as identities.

What are MLS Credentials? ​

In MLS, every group member has a credential that identifies them. Marmot maps Nostr public keys (used for signing Nostr events) to MLS basic credentials.

Identity vs Signature Keys ​

MLS separates two concepts:

  • Identity: Who you are (Nostr pubkey stored in credential)
  • Signature Public Key: Key used to sign MLS messages (separate from identity)

This separation allows for key rotation and device-specific signing keys while maintaining a stable identity.

Creating Credentials ​

typescript
import { createCredential } from "@internet-privacy/marmots";

// Create MLS credential from Nostr pubkey (hex string)
const credential = createCredential(nostrPubkey);

The credential embeds the Nostr public key as the identity.

Extracting Pubkeys ​

typescript
import { getCredentialPubkey } from "@internet-privacy/marmots";

// Get Nostr pubkey from MLS credential
const pubkey = getCredentialPubkey(credential);

Returns the Nostr public key as a hex string.

Comparing Credentials ​

typescript
import { isSameCredential } from "@internet-privacy/marmots";

if (isSameCredential(credential1, credential2)) {
  // Same identity (same Nostr pubkey)
}

Identity Format ​

  • Current Format: 32-byte Nostr public key (hex-encoded)
  • Legacy Format: UTF-8 encoded pubkey (backward compatible)
  • Credential Type: Always "basic" (no x509 support)

Example: Full Flow ​

typescript
import {
  createCredential,
  getCredentialPubkey,
  isSameCredential,
} from "@internet-privacy/marmots";

// User's Nostr pubkey
const myPubkey = "0x1234...";

// Create credential for group membership
const myCredential = createCredential(myPubkey);

// Later: verify it's me
const extractedPubkey = getCredentialPubkey(myCredential);
assert(extractedPubkey === myPubkey);

// Compare with another credential
const otherCredential = createCredential("0x5678...");
assert(!isSameCredential(myCredential, otherCredential));

Authentication ​

Credentials are validated by the marmotAuthService:

typescript
import { marmotAuthService } from "@internet-privacy/marmots";

// Used internally by MLS library
const isValid = await marmotAuthService.validateCredential(
  credential,
  signaturePublicKey,
);

Current Implementation:

  • Validates credential type is "basic"
  • Accepts all valid basic credentials
  • MLS library handles cryptographic signature verification

Future Extensions:

  • Could add Nostr-specific validation (e.g., NIP-05 verification)
  • Could integrate with web-of-trust systems
  • Could require additional attestations