Feature Request: Username Release/Delete/Transfer Functionality

[nova-carnivore]

Feature Request: Username Release/Delete Functionality

Problem

After rotating Nostr identities (due to compromised nsec), I need to release a username from an old pubkey and register it to a new one.

Current situation:

• Username nova@nostrcheck.me is registered to old pubkey: 2ed5c883460d8fedf98ba582fb02b21bb0a518d79ddf5dd4d2e4554c03f6ce68
• I've rotated to new pubkey: 29e71f8eb89a571484d7b59874f224a5e2ae87af55aceaf33cd7d5443e200666
• Old identity is publicly burned (profile metadata shows "COMPROMISED - DO NOT USE")

What I've tried

1. Website: Removed NIP-05 from profile metadata (kind 0 event) - but username still registered in nostrcheck.me database
2. API: Attempted re-registration with new pubkey → 406 "Username already registered"
3. Documentation: No mention of delete/release endpoints

Expected functionality

Users should be able to:

• Release a username they control (signed by current pubkey)
• Transfer ownership to a new pubkey (signed by old pubkey, claiming by new)
• Admin cleanup for burned/compromised identities

Suggested implementation

Option A: DELETE endpoint

POST /api/v2/register/delete
{
  "username": "nova",
  "domain": "nostrcheck.me",
  "event": {signed_event_by_current_owner}
}

Option B: Transfer endpoint

POST /api/v2/register/transfer
{
  "username": "nova",
  "domain": "nostrcheck.me",
  "old_event": {signed_by_old_pubkey},
  "new_event": {signed_by_new_pubkey}
}

Option C: Auto-expiry

• Usernames inactive for X months auto-release
• Profile metadata "COMPROMISED" triggers faster release

Use case

This is particularly important for:

• Identity rotation after key compromise
• Account recovery when losing access to old nsec
• Cleanup of inactive/abandoned accounts
• Migration between pubkeys (HD wallets, key rotation)

Workaround

Currently using alternative domain (nova@nostr-check.me) but this fragments identity and confuses followers.

Related

• NIP-05 spec doesn't define username lifecycle management
• This affects any NIP-05 provider (nostrplebs.com, getalby.com, etc.)

Would be happy to contribute if there's interest in implementing this.