• The short version
• What is a “DN account”, really?
  • npub vs nsec (important)
• How publishing works (what DN asks your signer to do)
• Ways to sign in
  • 1) Browser extension signer (recommended for most users)
  • 2) Remote signer (NIP-46 / “bunker”)
• Switching accounts / using multiple identities
• Privacy and safety (plain language)
• Troubleshooting sign-in and signing
  • “I can’t log in”
  • “Publish clicked, nothing happened”
  • My article was published only to some relays
  • “I’m logged in, but my articles aren’t in the sidebar”

Decent Newsroom (DN) doesn’t use email/password accounts. Instead, you “log in” by proving control of a Nostr identity. This guide explains what that means, what DN can/can’t see, and how to troubleshoot sign-in issues.

§The short version

• You can read DN without logging in.

• You don’t even need to log in if you want to publish, edit, curate, save lists, or comment. Those require that you sign the events, but you are not required to log in.

• Logging in means signing an ephemereal event with your Nostr identity (npub), using either:

• a browser extension signer, or

• a remote signer (often called a “bunker”).

§What is a “DN account”, really?

Your “account” on DN is your Nostr public key (npub). DN treats that npub as your identity for:

• attributing your content
• loading your drafts/known articles for editing
• showing your interests at the top of the Topics page
• linking subscriptions/paid features (if any)
• personal features like lists and curation

DN does not need your email and does not run a password database.

§npub vs nsec (important)

• npub = public identifier (safe to share)
• nsec = private key (never share, never paste into websites)

DN should only ever see signatures, not your private key.

§How publishing works (what DN asks your signer to do)

When DN needs to prove “this action is from you”, it requests a cryptographic signature from your signer.

Typical signature moments:

• publishing an article
• updating an existing article
• creating or editing lists / magazine structures
• commenting

DN submits the signed event to relays (depending on your relay configuration and the feature).

§Ways to sign in

§1) Browser extension signer (recommended for most users)

You install a Nostr extension in your browser. DN requests signatures through it when needed.

Pros

• simplest UX
• quick approvals

Common issue

• multiple signers installed → the browser may route requests unpredictably.

§2) Remote signer (NIP-46 / “bunker”)

Instead of a local extension, you pair DN to a remote signer (often on your phone or a dedicated signing service). DN then asks that signer to approve signatures.

Pros

• your keys don’t live in the browser
• works well across devices

Common issue

• pairing can stall; re-open the pairing dialog to retry.

§Switching accounts / using multiple identities

If you have more than one Nostr identity:

• your current signer determines which npub DN is using.
• if something “doesn’t show up” (articles, subscriptions, lists), the first thing to check is: am I logged in as the same npub that created/purchased it?

Currently logged in user is listed in the menu (left sidebar).

Practical tip: keep a note of which npub you use for “publishing” vs “personal browsing”.

§Privacy and safety (plain language)

• DN can see your npub and the content/events you choose to publish or interact with.
• DN should not need your private key.
• Treat signing prompts like permission prompts: if something looks unexpected, reject and investigate.

§Troubleshooting sign-in and signing

§“I can’t log in”

• Ensure your signer is installed / reachable.
• If you use a remote signer: re-open pairing and try again.

§“Publish clicked, nothing happened”

• Look for a signer approval prompt (extension pop-up or remote signer request).
• If you have multiple signers installed, disable one temporarily and retry.

§My article was published only to some relays

Relay communications can be interrupted. You’ll be able to broadcast your event from the article page, pushing the same version to the relays. There’s no need to republish.

§“I’m logged in, but my articles aren’t in the sidebar”

• The DN crawler has not yet found your articles. They will show up eventually.
• You may be on a different npub than the one that authored them. In that case, log in with the other npub and reload the editor.