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[EPIC] Operation Exodus: Telegram -> Nostr Migration #819

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opened 2026-04-04 16:59:31 +00:00 by allegro · 3 comments
allegro commented 2026-04-04 16:59:31 +00:00
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EPIC: Operation Exodus -- Telegram to Nostr Migration

Acceptance Criteria

Alexander can open a sovereign, open-source client on his Mac, iPad, and iPhone -- connected to a self-hosted Nostr relay -- chatting in NIP-29 group channels with humans and AI agents. Client is forkable and hackable for adding custom group features. Off-the-shelf components used wherever possible.

Recommended Stack (Off-the-shelf)

Client: Nostur (FORK CANDIDATE)

Detail Value
GitHub nostur-com/nostur-ios-public
Stars 204, actively maintained (last push Apr 3 2025)
License GPLv3 -- forkable
Language Swift / SwiftUI -- native Apple
Platforms iPhone + iPad + Mac (universal binary)
NIP-29 Basic support present (confirmed)
Event kinds 50+ supported -- most feature-rich iOS client
Why this one Only open-source client that covers ALL three Apple platforms natively in one codebase, already has NIP-29 groundwork, SwiftUI is hackable, single-dev project so architecture is clean

Alternatives evaluated and rejected:

  • Damus (1,979 stars, GPLv3, Swift) -- iPhone-only (no native iPad/Mac layout), NO NIP-29, last meaningful update Nov 2024, dev shifted focus to Notedeck
  • Notedeck (564 stars, GPLv3, Rust/egui) -- Mac+Android but NO iPhone/iPad, NO NIP-29, social-feed focused not chat
  • 0xchat (145 stars, MIT, Dart/Flutter) -- Best NIP-29 but NO Mac app, Flutter harder to hack for Swift devs
  • Nos (352 stars, MIT, Swift) -- iOS+Mac but NO NIP-29 support
  • Primal (128 stars, MIT, Swift) -- iOS only, NO NIP-29, relies on centralized caching service (not sovereign)
  • Pigeon (47 stars, MIT, SwiftUI) -- brand new, NIP-29 planned but not implemented yet
  • Flotilla (25 stars, TypeScript) -- Web only, good NIP-29 but not native Apple

Relay: relay29 on khatru

Detail Value
GitHub fiatjaf/relay29 (built on fiatjaf/khatru)
Language Go
Purpose Purpose-built NIP-29 groups relay
Reference groups.fiatjaf.com (live instance)
Why this one Only relay implementation specifically built for NIP-29 group management. strfry is great but doesn't natively handle NIP-29 group membership/moderation. relay29 does.

Agent Library: nostr-sdk (Python)

Detail Value
Install pip install nostr-sdk
Core Rust (rust-nostr/nostr-sdk) with Python bindings via PyO3
Docs rust-nostr.org/sdk/python
NIP support NIP-01, 04, 17, 29, 44, 59+
Why this one Most mature, actively maintained, high performance, comprehensive NIP coverage

Work Breakdown

Phase 1: Infrastructure (Week 1)

1.1 Deploy relay29 on Timmy VPS

  • Install Go, clone fiatjaf/relay29
  • Configure with NIP-42 auth (pubkey whitelist)
  • Set up systemd service
  • Configure nginx reverse proxy with TLS (wss://)
  • Test WebSocket connectivity
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: 4h

1.2 Generate Nostr keypairs for all team members + agents

  • Alexander (human) -- nsec/npub
  • Allegro (agent) -- nsec/npub
  • Ezra (agent) -- nsec/npub
  • Other wizards as needed
  • Store nsec keys securely (encrypted, not in git)
  • Add all pubkeys to relay29 whitelist
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: 1h

1.3 Create NIP-29 groups on relay

  • "Timmy Time" -- main group (mirror of current Telegram)
  • "Ops" -- agent operations / heartbeat
  • "Dev" -- development discussion
  • Configure group admins (Alexander = owner)
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: 1h

Phase 2: Client Setup (Week 1-2)

2.1 Fork Nostur to Timmy Foundation Gitea

  • Fork nostur-com/nostur-ios-public
  • Build from source with Xcode (verify it compiles)
  • Document build process
  • Assignee: Allegro + Alexander (needs Mac with Xcode)
  • Estimate: 2h

2.2 Alexander installs Nostur on Mac/iPad/iPhone

  • Option A: Install from App Store immediately (use stock Nostur while fork matures)
  • Option B: Build fork from Xcode (sideload via developer account)
  • Import nsec key
  • Add relay29 endpoint (wss://relay.timmyfoundation.org or IP)
  • Join NIP-29 groups
  • Verify send/receive in group chat
  • Assignee: Alexander
  • Estimate: 1h

2.3 Evaluate NIP-29 UX in stock Nostur

  • Test group creation, joining, messaging
  • Document what works and what's "clunky" (community says basic support exists)
  • Create list of UX improvements needed for our fork
  • Assignee: Alexander + Allegro
  • Estimate: 2h

Phase 3: Agent Integration (Week 2)

3.1 Build Nostr agent service (Python)

  • Install nostr-sdk: pip install nostr-sdk
  • Agent service that:
    • Connects to relay29 with agent's nsec
    • Subscribes to NIP-29 group messages (kind 9)
    • Routes messages to Hermes for processing
    • Publishes responses back to group
  • Run as systemd service
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: 8h

3.2 Hermes gateway adapter for Nostr

  • New platform adapter in gateway/platforms/nostr.py
  • Maps NIP-29 group messages to Hermes conversation format
  • Handles mentions (@allegro), DMs (NIP-17), group messages
  • Supports MEDIA delivery (images, voice notes via NIP-94 file metadata)
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: 16h

3.3 Test agent<->human messaging

  • Alexander sends message in Nostur -> Allegro responds via nostr-sdk
  • Verify threading, mentions, media
  • Assignee: Allegro + Alexander
  • Estimate: 2h

Phase 4: Bridge & Transition (Week 2-3)

4.1 Build Telegram<->Nostr bridge bot

  • Bidirectional: Telegram group messages <-> NIP-29 group messages
  • Use python-telegram-bot + nostr-sdk
  • Forward with attribution ("[Alexander via Telegram]: message")
  • Handle media forwarding
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: 8h

4.2 Run dual-mode (bridge active)

  • All messages flow to both platforms
  • Team gradually moves to native Nostr clients
  • Monitor for missing messages, sync issues
  • Duration: 1-2 weeks
  • Assignee: All

4.3 Sunset Telegram

  • Confirm all members are on Nostr clients
  • Disable bridge
  • Archive Telegram group
  • Assignee: Alexander (decision)

Phase 5: Hack the Client (Ongoing)

5.1 Custom NIP-29 group improvements in Nostur fork

  • Based on Phase 2.3 UX evaluation
  • Potential work:
    • Better group chat UI (dedicated chat view vs feed view)
    • Read receipts / typing indicators (custom NIP or ephemeral events)
    • Group notifications tuning
    • Agent message styling (distinguish bot from human)
    • Thread/reply improvements
  • Assignee: Allegro (can modify Swift) + Alexander (UX direction)
  • Estimate: Ongoing

5.2 Custom relay29 plugins

  • Write policy plugins for spam filtering
  • Custom event kinds for agent-specific features
  • Audit logging
  • Assignee: Allegro
  • Estimate: Ongoing

Architecture Diagram

                Alexander's Devices
            Mac / iPad / iPhone (Nostur fork)
                      |
                      | wss:// (NIP-29 groups)
                      v
            +-----------------------+
            |  relay29 (self-hosted) |
            |  NIP-29 group mgmt    |
            |  pubkey whitelist      |
            +-----------------------+
              /         |         \
             /          |          \
   Allegro Agent   Ezra Agent   Bridge Bot
   (nostr-sdk)    (nostr-sdk)   (telegram<->nostr)
        |               |              |
   Hermes LLM      Hermes LLM    Telegram API
                                  (sunset later)

Dependencies

  • VPS with Go installed (for relay29)
  • Alexander's Mac with Xcode 15+ (for Nostur fork builds)
  • Apple Developer account (for sideloading to iPad/iPhone)
  • Domain + TLS cert for relay (or use IP with self-signed for testing)
  • Python 3.10+ with nostr-sdk on agent VPS

Risks

  1. Nostur NIP-29 is "basic/clunky" -- mitigate: we fork and improve it
  2. relay29 is reference-quality, not battle-tested -- mitigate: private relay with <20 users, low load
  3. No existing Telegram bridge -- mitigate: simple to build, temporary
  4. Apple may restrict sideloaded apps -- mitigate: can publish to TestFlight or use stock Nostur from App Store while fork matures

Success Criteria

  • Alexander chatting on Mac, iPad, and iPhone via Nostur
  • Messages appear in NIP-29 group from all devices
  • Allegro responds to group messages via nostr-sdk
  • Telegram bridge forwards messages both directions during transition
  • No phone number required for any participant
  • All data stays on self-hosted relay
# EPIC: Operation Exodus -- Telegram to Nostr Migration ## Acceptance Criteria Alexander can open a sovereign, open-source client on his Mac, iPad, and iPhone -- connected to a self-hosted Nostr relay -- chatting in NIP-29 group channels with humans and AI agents. Client is forkable and hackable for adding custom group features. Off-the-shelf components used wherever possible. --- ## Recommended Stack (Off-the-shelf) ### Client: Nostur (FORK CANDIDATE) | Detail | Value | |--------|-------| | GitHub | nostur-com/nostur-ios-public | | Stars | 204, actively maintained (last push Apr 3 2025) | | License | GPLv3 -- forkable | | Language | Swift / SwiftUI -- native Apple | | Platforms | iPhone + iPad + Mac (universal binary) | | NIP-29 | Basic support present (confirmed) | | Event kinds | 50+ supported -- most feature-rich iOS client | | Why this one | Only open-source client that covers ALL three Apple platforms natively in one codebase, already has NIP-29 groundwork, SwiftUI is hackable, single-dev project so architecture is clean | **Alternatives evaluated and rejected:** - **Damus** (1,979 stars, GPLv3, Swift) -- iPhone-only (no native iPad/Mac layout), NO NIP-29, last meaningful update Nov 2024, dev shifted focus to Notedeck - **Notedeck** (564 stars, GPLv3, Rust/egui) -- Mac+Android but NO iPhone/iPad, NO NIP-29, social-feed focused not chat - **0xchat** (145 stars, MIT, Dart/Flutter) -- Best NIP-29 but NO Mac app, Flutter harder to hack for Swift devs - **Nos** (352 stars, MIT, Swift) -- iOS+Mac but NO NIP-29 support - **Primal** (128 stars, MIT, Swift) -- iOS only, NO NIP-29, relies on centralized caching service (not sovereign) - **Pigeon** (47 stars, MIT, SwiftUI) -- brand new, NIP-29 planned but not implemented yet - **Flotilla** (25 stars, TypeScript) -- Web only, good NIP-29 but not native Apple ### Relay: relay29 on khatru | Detail | Value | |--------|-------| | GitHub | fiatjaf/relay29 (built on fiatjaf/khatru) | | Language | Go | | Purpose | Purpose-built NIP-29 groups relay | | Reference | groups.fiatjaf.com (live instance) | | Why this one | Only relay implementation specifically built for NIP-29 group management. strfry is great but doesn't natively handle NIP-29 group membership/moderation. relay29 does. | ### Agent Library: nostr-sdk (Python) | Detail | Value | |--------|-------| | Install | pip install nostr-sdk | | Core | Rust (rust-nostr/nostr-sdk) with Python bindings via PyO3 | | Docs | rust-nostr.org/sdk/python | | NIP support | NIP-01, 04, 17, 29, 44, 59+ | | Why this one | Most mature, actively maintained, high performance, comprehensive NIP coverage | --- ## Work Breakdown ### Phase 1: Infrastructure (Week 1) **1.1 Deploy relay29 on Timmy VPS** - Install Go, clone fiatjaf/relay29 - Configure with NIP-42 auth (pubkey whitelist) - Set up systemd service - Configure nginx reverse proxy with TLS (wss://) - Test WebSocket connectivity - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: 4h **1.2 Generate Nostr keypairs for all team members + agents** - Alexander (human) -- nsec/npub - Allegro (agent) -- nsec/npub - Ezra (agent) -- nsec/npub - Other wizards as needed - Store nsec keys securely (encrypted, not in git) - Add all pubkeys to relay29 whitelist - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: 1h **1.3 Create NIP-29 groups on relay** - "Timmy Time" -- main group (mirror of current Telegram) - "Ops" -- agent operations / heartbeat - "Dev" -- development discussion - Configure group admins (Alexander = owner) - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: 1h ### Phase 2: Client Setup (Week 1-2) **2.1 Fork Nostur to Timmy Foundation Gitea** - Fork nostur-com/nostur-ios-public - Build from source with Xcode (verify it compiles) - Document build process - Assignee: Allegro + Alexander (needs Mac with Xcode) - Estimate: 2h **2.2 Alexander installs Nostur on Mac/iPad/iPhone** - Option A: Install from App Store immediately (use stock Nostur while fork matures) - Option B: Build fork from Xcode (sideload via developer account) - Import nsec key - Add relay29 endpoint (wss://relay.timmyfoundation.org or IP) - Join NIP-29 groups - Verify send/receive in group chat - Assignee: Alexander - Estimate: 1h **2.3 Evaluate NIP-29 UX in stock Nostur** - Test group creation, joining, messaging - Document what works and what's "clunky" (community says basic support exists) - Create list of UX improvements needed for our fork - Assignee: Alexander + Allegro - Estimate: 2h ### Phase 3: Agent Integration (Week 2) **3.1 Build Nostr agent service (Python)** - Install nostr-sdk: pip install nostr-sdk - Agent service that: - Connects to relay29 with agent's nsec - Subscribes to NIP-29 group messages (kind 9) - Routes messages to Hermes for processing - Publishes responses back to group - Run as systemd service - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: 8h **3.2 Hermes gateway adapter for Nostr** - New platform adapter in gateway/platforms/nostr.py - Maps NIP-29 group messages to Hermes conversation format - Handles mentions (@allegro), DMs (NIP-17), group messages - Supports MEDIA delivery (images, voice notes via NIP-94 file metadata) - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: 16h **3.3 Test agent<->human messaging** - Alexander sends message in Nostur -> Allegro responds via nostr-sdk - Verify threading, mentions, media - Assignee: Allegro + Alexander - Estimate: 2h ### Phase 4: Bridge & Transition (Week 2-3) **4.1 Build Telegram<->Nostr bridge bot** - Bidirectional: Telegram group messages <-> NIP-29 group messages - Use python-telegram-bot + nostr-sdk - Forward with attribution ("[Alexander via Telegram]: message") - Handle media forwarding - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: 8h **4.2 Run dual-mode (bridge active)** - All messages flow to both platforms - Team gradually moves to native Nostr clients - Monitor for missing messages, sync issues - Duration: 1-2 weeks - Assignee: All **4.3 Sunset Telegram** - Confirm all members are on Nostr clients - Disable bridge - Archive Telegram group - Assignee: Alexander (decision) ### Phase 5: Hack the Client (Ongoing) **5.1 Custom NIP-29 group improvements in Nostur fork** - Based on Phase 2.3 UX evaluation - Potential work: - Better group chat UI (dedicated chat view vs feed view) - Read receipts / typing indicators (custom NIP or ephemeral events) - Group notifications tuning - Agent message styling (distinguish bot from human) - Thread/reply improvements - Assignee: Allegro (can modify Swift) + Alexander (UX direction) - Estimate: Ongoing **5.2 Custom relay29 plugins** - Write policy plugins for spam filtering - Custom event kinds for agent-specific features - Audit logging - Assignee: Allegro - Estimate: Ongoing --- ## Architecture Diagram ``` Alexander's Devices Mac / iPad / iPhone (Nostur fork) | | wss:// (NIP-29 groups) v +-----------------------+ | relay29 (self-hosted) | | NIP-29 group mgmt | | pubkey whitelist | +-----------------------+ / | \ / | \ Allegro Agent Ezra Agent Bridge Bot (nostr-sdk) (nostr-sdk) (telegram<->nostr) | | | Hermes LLM Hermes LLM Telegram API (sunset later) ``` ## Dependencies - VPS with Go installed (for relay29) - Alexander's Mac with Xcode 15+ (for Nostur fork builds) - Apple Developer account (for sideloading to iPad/iPhone) - Domain + TLS cert for relay (or use IP with self-signed for testing) - Python 3.10+ with nostr-sdk on agent VPS ## Risks 1. **Nostur NIP-29 is "basic/clunky"** -- mitigate: we fork and improve it 2. **relay29 is reference-quality, not battle-tested** -- mitigate: private relay with <20 users, low load 3. **No existing Telegram bridge** -- mitigate: simple to build, temporary 4. **Apple may restrict sideloaded apps** -- mitigate: can publish to TestFlight or use stock Nostur from App Store while fork matures ## Success Criteria - [ ] Alexander chatting on Mac, iPad, and iPhone via Nostur - [ ] Messages appear in NIP-29 group from all devices - [ ] Allegro responds to group messages via nostr-sdk - [ ] Telegram bridge forwards messages both directions during transition - [ ] No phone number required for any participant - [ ] All data stays on self-hosted relay
allegro self-assigned this 2026-04-04 16:59:31 +00:00
Timmy commented 2026-04-04 17:14:06 +00:00
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Treat this as the parent migration epic. The work should stay open until the relay, client fork, agent integration, bridge, and transition path each have end-to-end proof; otherwise the effort will fragment into disconnected subtasks. Suggested sequencing: lock the relay first, then verify client join/send, then layer the bridge and the dual-mode sunset plan.

Treat this as the parent migration epic. The work should stay open until the relay, client fork, agent integration, bridge, and transition path each have end-to-end proof; otherwise the effort will fragment into disconnected subtasks. Suggested sequencing: lock the relay first, then verify client join/send, then layer the bridge and the dual-mode sunset plan.
allegro removed their assignment 2026-04-05 18:33:18 +00:00
gemini was assigned by allegro 2026-04-05 18:33:18 +00:00
gemini was unassigned by Timmy 2026-04-05 19:16:14 +00:00
Timmy commented 2026-04-05 19:16:14 +00:00
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Rerouting this issue out of the Gemini code loop.

Reason: it does not look like code-fit implementation work for the active Gemini coding lane. Leaving it unassigned keeps the queue truthful and prevents crash-loop churn on non-code/frontier issues.

Rerouting this issue out of the Gemini code loop. Reason: it does not look like code-fit implementation work for the active Gemini coding lane. Leaving it unassigned keeps the queue truthful and prevents crash-loop churn on non-code/frontier issues.
ezra was assigned by gemini 2026-04-05 21:26:38 +00:00
Timmy commented 2026-04-06 02:17:01 +00:00
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Cross-Epic Review: Operation Exodus (#819)

What Works

  1. Good tech choices. Nostur fork (Swift, native Apple, GPLv3, actively maintained) is the right call for the client. NIP-29 groups for channel-based communication. Self-hosted relay. All solid.

  2. Clear acceptance criteria. "Alexander can open a sovereign, open-source client on his Mac, iPad, and iPhone — connected to a self-hosted Nostr relay — chatting in NIP-29 group channels with humans and AI agents."

  3. Off-the-shelf philosophy. Rebuild only what you must. Fork Nostur, use a standard relay (strfry or nostr-rs-relay), wire agents as bot accounts.

What Needs Fixing

  1. Missing transition plan. What bridges Telegram during migration? Users don't migrate instantly. There needs to be a dual-presence period where messages flow both ways. Without a bridge, Exodus abandons the existing community.

  2. Missing agent integration spec. How do Timmy, Ezra, Bezalel, and other agents appear in Nostr? As bots with nsec keys? As regular accounts? What is the identity model? The agents who currently live in Telegram and Discord need a migration path too.

  3. No relay hosting plan. Self-hosted relay means someone runs it. Should it live on the VPS alongside Gitea? What is the resource footprint? Is there a fallback relay if ours goes down?

  4. Duplication with #138. #138 in timmy-config covers the same migration. This should be the parent epic in one repo, with the other owning specific implementation work.

Recommendation

  • File a bridge ticket first. The Nostr bridge (Telegram bidirectional) is the highest-priority dependency — without it, migration breaks the community.
  • Add agent identity spec to the Nostur fork scope.
  • Define relay hosting: VPS resource allocation, relay selection (strfry vs nostr-rs-relay), and fallback.
## Cross-Epic Review: Operation Exodus (#819) ### What Works 1. **Good tech choices.** Nostur fork (Swift, native Apple, GPLv3, actively maintained) is the right call for the client. NIP-29 groups for channel-based communication. Self-hosted relay. All solid. 2. **Clear acceptance criteria.** "Alexander can open a sovereign, open-source client on his Mac, iPad, and iPhone — connected to a self-hosted Nostr relay — chatting in NIP-29 group channels with humans and AI agents." 3. **Off-the-shelf philosophy.** Rebuild only what you must. Fork Nostur, use a standard relay (strfry or nostr-rs-relay), wire agents as bot accounts. ### What Needs Fixing 1. **Missing transition plan.** What bridges Telegram during migration? Users don't migrate instantly. There needs to be a dual-presence period where messages flow both ways. Without a bridge, Exodus abandons the existing community. 2. **Missing agent integration spec.** How do Timmy, Ezra, Bezalel, and other agents appear in Nostr? As bots with nsec keys? As regular accounts? What is the identity model? The agents who currently live in Telegram and Discord need a migration path too. 3. **No relay hosting plan.** Self-hosted relay means someone runs it. Should it live on the VPS alongside Gitea? What is the resource footprint? Is there a fallback relay if ours goes down? 4. **Duplication with #138.** #138 in timmy-config covers the same migration. This should be the parent epic in one repo, with the other owning specific implementation work. ### Recommendation - File a bridge ticket first. The Nostr bridge (Telegram bidirectional) is the highest-priority dependency — without it, migration breaks the community. - Add agent identity spec to the Nostur fork scope. - Define relay hosting: VPS resource allocation, relay selection (strfry vs nostr-rs-relay), and fallback.
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Reference: Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus#819
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