diff --git a/damus.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/damus.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index aff11f5c..d4349d7d 100644
--- a/damus.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/damus.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@
 		4C9F18E229AA9B6C008C55EC /* CustomizeZapView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4C9F18E129AA9B6C008C55EC /* CustomizeZapView.swift */; };
 		4C9F18E429ABDE6D008C55EC /* MaybeAnonPfpView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4C9F18E329ABDE6D008C55EC /* MaybeAnonPfpView.swift */; };
 		4CA2EFA0280E37AC0044ACD8 /* TimelineView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4CA2EF9F280E37AC0044ACD8 /* TimelineView.swift */; };
+		4CA352A62A76B020003BB08B /* Pubkey.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4CA352A52A76B020003BB08B /* Pubkey.swift */; };
 		4CA3FA1029F593D000FDB3C3 /* ZapTypePicker.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4CA3FA0F29F593D000FDB3C3 /* ZapTypePicker.swift */; };
 		4CA5588329F33F5B00DC6A45 /* StringCodable.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4CA5588229F33F5B00DC6A45 /* StringCodable.swift */; };
 		4CA9275D2A28FF630098A105 /* LongformView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 4CA9275C2A28FF630098A105 /* LongformView.swift */; };
@@ -703,6 +704,7 @@
 		4C9F18E129AA9B6C008C55EC /* CustomizeZapView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = CustomizeZapView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		4C9F18E329ABDE6D008C55EC /* MaybeAnonPfpView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = MaybeAnonPfpView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		4CA2EF9F280E37AC0044ACD8 /* TimelineView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = TimelineView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		4CA352A52A76B020003BB08B /* Pubkey.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = Pubkey.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		4CA3FA0F29F593D000FDB3C3 /* ZapTypePicker.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = ZapTypePicker.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		4CA5588229F33F5B00DC6A45 /* StringCodable.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = StringCodable.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		4CA9275C2A28FF630098A105 /* LongformView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = LongformView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
@@ -1245,6 +1247,7 @@
 				4C363A8F28247A1D006E126D /* NostrLink.swift */,
 				50088DA029E8271A008A1FDF /* WebSocket.swift */,
 				4C28A4112A6D03D200C1A7A5 /* ReferencedId.swift */,
+				4CA352A52A76B020003BB08B /* Pubkey.swift */,
 			);
 			path = Nostr;
 			sourceTree = "<group>";
@@ -1996,6 +1999,7 @@
 				4CE0E2AF29A2E82100DB4CA2 /* EventHolder.swift in Sources */,
 				4C5D5C992A6AF8F80024563C /* NdbNote.swift in Sources */,
 				4CF0ABF029857E9200D66079 /* Bech32Object.swift in Sources */,
+				4CA352A62A76B020003BB08B /* Pubkey.swift in Sources */,
 				4C3D52B8298DB5C6001C5831 /* TextEvent.swift in Sources */,
 				4C216F362870A9A700040376 /* InputDismissKeyboard.swift in Sources */,
 				4C8D1A6F29F31E5000ACDF75 /* FriendsButton.swift in Sources */,
diff --git a/damus/Nostr/Pubkey.swift b/damus/Nostr/Pubkey.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e5c90295
--- /dev/null
+++ b/damus/Nostr/Pubkey.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+//
+//  Pubkey.swift
+//  damus
+//
+//  Created by William Casarin on 2023-07-30.
+//
+
+import Foundation
+
+// prepare a more gradual transition to the ndb branch
+typealias FollowRef = ReferencedId
+typealias Pubkey = String
+typealias NoteId = String
+typealias Privkey = String