The widget renders in a shadow root, so hosts could recolor it via the :host custom properties but couldn't restyle structure (padding, borders, box-shadow, button shape) -- which is why an embed can look pasted in. Stamp a stable set of shadow parts once per render in exposeParts(): card; button (+button-primary/button-secondary); link; input; checkbox; heading; text; notice (+notice-warn/-info/-error). Mapped by existing class in one place rather than inline on ~60 rendered elements, so new buttons/notices stay exposed automatically instead of drifting. Documented as a contract in the README "Theming" section, alongside the existing custom-property theming (still the first tool for color/radius/ font; parts are the escape hatch for structure). Verified in-browser that bitlogin-auth::part(...) matches from light-DOM CSS through the shadow boundary. Addresses the "CSS parts" item of the Tessera integration feedback (docs/TODO.md). Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <[email protected]> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01BXQCvJPA6sVSQ5j8uBd9bB
BitLogin Documentation
BitLogin is a static, relay-backed portable account protocol that gives users a familiar login name and password while preserving a user-controlled Nostr identity and independent phrase recovery.
This directory contains the core protocol specification, implementation notes, and experimental designs for expanding BitLogin into a portable account layer for compatible applications.
Core protocol
spec.md— canonical BitLogin protocol specificationsecond-factor.md— second-factor design noteslogin-methods.md— the widget as the single login surface: NIP-07 and NIP-46 sign-in behind the existing provider facade (implemented; nsec-paste login rejected on the record)passkey-login.md— passkey sign-in via the WebAuthn PRF extension (implemented): zero registration, zero servers, a frozen derivation contract, and the graduation ladder to self-custodycentralized-onramps.md— superseded, kept on the record: the OAuth on-ramp designs (external service, serverless Google Drive) and the analysis of why OAuth cannot be static without per-site provider registration — the requirement that led to the passkey rail
Portable account layer
These documents describe proposed capabilities that build on BitLogin's core identity and recovery model.
account-switching.md— multiple independent accounts on one device, fast switching, locking, logout, and account-aware signer behaviorportable-app-state.md— encrypted, user-owned application settings and lightweight state that follow the account across devicesportable-entitlements.md— discovery, verification, recovery, and presentation of purchases, licenses, memberships, and access rightsrelay-and-messaging-portability.md— relay-role management, DM inbox and outbox synchronization, sent-message recovery, and conversation reconstruction
Connection Vault
The Connection Vault stores portable application credentials outside the core
identity capsules as independently encrypted records. Its protocol layer
(records, key hierarchy, relay sync, migration, tiers) is implemented in
@bitlogin/core's src/vault/; the widget authorization layer shipped 2026-07-30 in REVEAL mode
(requestNwcConnection, offerNwcConnection, and a Wallet-connections
screen). Durable per-origin grants and a Connected-apps page are still to
come; see connection-vault.md §19 for the open limitations.
connection-vault.md— overall vault architecture, key hierarchy, relay storage, authorization, recovery, and deletion; §18 records the implementation-time decisions (tier model, sudo key)vault-ux.md— the agreed user-experience walkthroughs, serving as the authorization layer's acceptance criterianwc-connections.md— Nostr Wallet Connect credential profile (parser/exporter implemented insrc/vault/nwc.ts)s3c-format.md— portables3c1:format for S3-compatible storage connections
How the pieces fit together
BitLogin account
├── Identity and recovery
│ ├── Credential capsule
│ ├── Recovery capsule
│ └── Everyday Nostr identity
│
├── Accounts and sessions
│ └── Multiple-account switching
│
├── Communication
│ ├── Relay preferences
│ ├── DM inbox synchronization
│ ├── DM outbox and sent-message recovery
│ └── Conversation reconstruction
│
├── Portable application experience
│ ├── App settings
│ ├── Saved state
│ └── Per-app authorization
│
├── Ownership
│ ├── Purchases
│ ├── Licenses
│ ├── Memberships
│ └── Access entitlements
│
└── Connection Vault
├── NWC wallet connections
├── S3-compatible storage connections
└── Future service credentials
Status terminology
Documents use these labels:
- Implemented — available in the current codebase
- Partially implemented — some required primitives or flows exist, but the complete user-facing feature does not
- Experimental design — documented for review and future implementation; wire formats and APIs may change
Experimental documents are not part of the stable BitLogin protocol until their schemas, security properties, migrations, and test vectors are finalized.
Recommended product sequence
A practical development sequence is:
- Complete the core account and messaging foundations.
- Add independent multi-account sessions and switching.
- Add relay management, inbox synchronization, and sent-message recovery.
- Add portable application state and per-app permissions.
- Add entitlement discovery and a portable ownership library.
- Implement the Connection Vault and its NWC and S3 profiles.
- Move high-value authorization into stronger extension, native, or cross-origin execution boundaries.
Design principle
BitLogin should coordinate portable identity, state, ownership, and service access without becoming the centralized custodian of the user's identity, money, files, messages, or purchases.