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https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-ed25519

Fastest 4KB JS implementation of ed25519 signatures
https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-ed25519

cryptography curve curve25519 ed25519 eddsa elliptic fips186 noble rfc8032 signature x25519 zip215

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Fastest 4KB JS implementation of ed25519 signatures

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# noble-ed25519



Fastest 4KB JS implementation of ed25519 signatures.



- ✍️ [EDDSA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdDSA) signatures compliant with [RFC8032](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8032),

  FIPS 186-5

- 🪢 Consensus-friendly, compliant with [ZIP215](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0215)

- 🔖 SUF-CMA (strong unforgeability under chosen message attacks) and SBS (non-repudiation / exclusive ownership)

- 🪶 4KB gzipped, 400 lines of pure ESM, bundler-less code



The module is a sister project of [noble-curves](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-curves),

focusing on smaller attack surface & better auditability.

Curves are drop-in replacement and have more features: Common.js, ristretto255, X25519, curve25519, ed25519ph. To upgrade from v1 to v2, see [Upgrading](#upgrading).



### This library belongs to _noble_ cryptography



> **noble-cryptography** — high-security, easily auditable set of contained cryptographic libraries and tools.



- Zero or minimal dependencies

- Highly readable TypeScript / JS code

- PGP-signed releases and transparent NPM builds with provenance

- Check out [homepage](https://paulmillr.com/noble/) & all libraries:

  [ciphers](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-ciphers),

  [curves](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-curves),

  [hashes](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-hashes),

  [post-quantum](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-post-quantum),

  4kb [secp256k1](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-secp256k1) /

  [ed25519](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-ed25519)



## Usage



> `npm install @noble/ed25519`



> `deno add jsr:@noble/ed25519`



> `deno doc jsr:@noble/ed25519` # command-line documentation



We support all major platforms and runtimes. For node.js <= 18 and React Native, additional polyfills are needed: see below.



```js

import * as ed from '@noble/ed25519';

(async () => {

  // Uint8Arrays or hex strings are accepted:

  // Uint8Array.from([0xde, 0xad, 0xbe, 0xef]) is equal to 'deadbeef'

  const privKey = ed.utils.randomPrivateKey(); // Secure random private key

  const message = Uint8Array.from([0xab, 0xbc, 0xcd, 0xde]);

  const pubKey = await ed.getPublicKeyAsync(privKey); // Sync methods below

  const signature = await ed.signAsync(message, privKey);

  const isValid = await ed.verifyAsync(signature, message, pubKey);

})();

```



Additional polyfills for some environments:



```ts

// 1. Enable synchronous methods.

// Only async methods are available by default, to keep the library dependency-free.

import { sha512 } from '@noble/hashes/sha512';

ed.etc.sha512Sync = (...m) => sha512(ed.etc.concatBytes(...m));

// Sync methods can be used now:

// ed.getPublicKey(privKey); ed.sign(msg, privKey); ed.verify(signature, msg, pubKey);



// 2. node.js 18 and older, requires polyfilling globalThis.crypto

import { webcrypto } from 'node:crypto';

// @ts-ignore

if (!globalThis.crypto) globalThis.crypto = webcrypto;



// 3. React Native needs crypto.getRandomValues polyfill and sha512

import 'react-native-get-random-values';

import { sha512 } from '@noble/hashes/sha512';

ed.etc.sha512Sync = (...m) => sha512(ed.etc.concatBytes(...m));

ed.etc.sha512Async = (...m) => Promise.resolve(ed.etc.sha512Sync(...m));

```



## API



There are 3 main methods: `getPublicKey(privateKey)`, `sign(message, privateKey)`

and `verify(signature, message, publicKey)`. We accept Hex type everywhere:



```ts

type Hex = Uint8Array | string;

```



### getPublicKey



```typescript

function getPublicKey(privateKey: Hex): Uint8Array;

function getPublicKeyAsync(privateKey: Hex): Promise;

```



Generates 32-byte public key from 32-byte private key.



- Some libraries have 64-byte private keys. Don't worry, those are just

  priv+pub concatenated. Slice it: `priv64b.slice(0, 32)`

- Use `Point.fromPrivateKey(privateKey)` if you want `Point` instance instead

- Use `Point.fromHex(publicKey)` if you want to convert hex / bytes into Point.

  It will use decompression algorithm 5.1.3 of RFC 8032.

- Use `utils.getExtendedPublicKey` if you need full SHA512 hash of seed



### sign



```ts

function sign(

  message: Hex, // message which would be signed

  privateKey: Hex // 32-byte private key

): Uint8Array;

function signAsync(message: Hex, privateKey: Hex): Promise;

```



Generates EdDSA signature. Always deterministic.



Assumes unhashed `message`: it would be hashed by ed25519 internally.

For prehashed ed25519ph, switch to noble-curves.



### verify



```ts

function verify(

  signature: Hex, // returned by the `sign` function

  message: Hex, // message that needs to be verified

  publicKey: Hex // public (not private) key,

  options = { zip215: true } // ZIP215 or RFC8032 verification type

): boolean;

function verifyAsync(signature: Hex, message: Hex, publicKey: Hex): Promise;

```



Verifies EdDSA signature. Has SUF-CMA (strong unforgeability under chosen message attacks).

By default, follows ZIP215 [^1] and can be used in consensus-critical apps [^2].

`zip215: false` option switches verification criteria to strict

RFC8032 / FIPS 186-5 and provides non-repudiation with SBS (Strongly Binding Signatures) [^3].



### utils



A bunch of useful **utilities** are also exposed:



```typescript

const etc: {

  bytesToHex: (b: Bytes) => string;

  hexToBytes: (hex: string) => Bytes;

  concatBytes: (...arrs: Bytes[]) => Uint8Array;

  mod: (a: bigint, b?: bigint) => bigint;

  invert: (num: bigint, md?: bigint) => bigint;

  randomBytes: (len: number) => Bytes;

  sha512Async: (...messages: Bytes[]) => Promise;

  sha512Sync: Sha512FnSync;

};

const utils: {

  getExtendedPublicKeyAsync: (priv: Hex) => Promise;

  getExtendedPublicKey: (priv: Hex) => ExtK;

  precompute(p: Point, w?: number): Point;

  randomPrivateKey: () => Bytes; // Uses CSPRNG https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Crypto/getRandomValues

};



class ExtendedPoint {

  // Elliptic curve point in Extended (x, y, z, t) coordinates.

  constructor(ex: bigint, ey: bigint, ez: bigint, et: bigint);

  static readonly BASE: Point;

  static readonly ZERO: Point;

  static fromAffine(point: AffinePoint): ExtendedPoint;

  static fromHex(hash: string);

  get x(): bigint;

  get y(): bigint;

  // Note: It does not check whether the `other` point is valid point on curve.

  add(other: ExtendedPoint): ExtendedPoint;

  equals(other: ExtendedPoint): boolean;

  isTorsionFree(): boolean; // Multiplies the point by curve order

  multiply(scalar: bigint): ExtendedPoint;

  subtract(other: ExtendedPoint): ExtendedPoint;

  toAffine(): Point;

  toRawBytes(): Uint8Array;

  toHex(): string; // Compact representation of a Point

}

// Curve params

ed25519.CURVE.p; // 2 ** 255 - 19

ed25519.CURVE.n; // 2 ** 252 + 27742317777372353535851937790883648493

ed25519.ExtendedPoint.BASE; // new ed25519.Point(Gx, Gy) where

// Gx=15112221349535400772501151409588531511454012693041857206046113283949847762202n

// Gy=46316835694926478169428394003475163141307993866256225615783033603165251855960n;

```



## Security



The module is production-ready.



We cross-test against sister project [noble-curves](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-curves), which was audited and provides improved security.



- The current version has not been independently audited. It is a rewrite of v1, which has been audited by cure53 in Feb 2022:

  [PDF](https://cure53.de/pentest-report_ed25519.pdf).

- It's being fuzzed [in a separate repository](https://github.com/paulmillr/fuzzing)



If you see anything unusual: investigate and report.



### Constant-timeness



We're targetting algorithmic constant time. _JIT-compiler_ and _Garbage Collector_ make "constant time"

extremely hard to achieve [timing attack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timing_attack) resistance

in a scripting language. Which means _any other JS library can't have

constant-timeness_. Even statically typed Rust, a language without GC,

[makes it harder to achieve constant-time](https://www.chosenplaintext.ca/open-source/rust-timing-shield/security)

for some cases. If your goal is absolute security, don't use any JS lib — including bindings to native ones.

Use low-level libraries & languages.



### Supply chain security



- **Commits** are signed with PGP keys, to prevent forgery. Make sure to verify commit signatures

- **Releases** are transparent and built on GitHub CI. Make sure to verify [provenance](https://docs.npmjs.com/generating-provenance-statements) logs

- **Rare releasing** is followed to ensure less re-audit need for end-users

- **Dependencies** are minimized and locked-down: any dependency could get hacked and users will be downloading malware with every install.

  - We make sure to use as few dependencies as possible

  - Automatic dep updates are prevented by locking-down version ranges; diffs are checked with `npm-diff`

- **Dev Dependencies** are disabled for end-users; they are only used to develop / build the source code



For this package, there are 0 dependencies; and a few dev dependencies:



- [noble-hashes](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-hashes) provides cryptographic hashing functionality

- micro-bmark, micro-should and jsbt are used for benchmarking / testing / build tooling and developed by the same author

- prettier, fast-check and typescript are used for code quality / test generation / ts compilation. It's hard to audit their source code thoroughly and fully because of their size



### Randomness



We're deferring to built-in

[crypto.getRandomValues](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Crypto/getRandomValues)

which is considered cryptographically secure (CSPRNG).



In the past, browsers had bugs that made it weak: it may happen again.

Implementing a userspace CSPRNG to get resilient to the weakness

is even worse: there is no reliable userspace source of quality entropy.



### Quantum computers



Cryptographically relevant quantum computer, if built, will allow to

break elliptic curve cryptography (both ECDSA / EdDSA & ECDH) using Shor's algorithm.



Consider switching to newer / hybrid algorithms, such as SPHINCS+. They are available in

[noble-post-quantum](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-post-quantum).



NIST prohibits classical cryptography (RSA, DSA, ECDSA, ECDH) [after 2035](https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2024/NIST.IR.8547.ipd.pdf). Australian ASD prohibits it [after 2030](https://www.cyber.gov.au/resources-business-and-government/essential-cyber-security/ism/cyber-security-guidelines/guidelines-cryptography).



## Speed



Benchmarks done with Apple M2 on macOS 13 with Node.js 20.



    getPublicKey(utils.randomPrivateKey()) x 9,173 ops/sec @ 109μs/op

    sign x 4,567 ops/sec @ 218μs/op

    verify x 994 ops/sec @ 1ms/op

    Point.fromHex decompression x 16,164 ops/sec @ 61μs/op



Compare to alternative implementations:



    [email protected] getPublicKey x 1,808 ops/sec @ 552μs/op ± 1.64%

    [email protected] sign x 651 ops/sec @ 1ms/op

    [email protected] getPublicKey x 640 ops/sec @ 1ms/op ± 1.59%

    sodium-native#sign x 83,654 ops/sec @ 11μs/op



## Upgrading



noble-ed25519 v2 features improved security and smaller attack surface.

The goal of v2 is to provide minimum possible JS library which is safe and fast.



That means the library was reduced 4x, to just over 300 lines. In order to

achieve the goal, **some features were moved** to

[noble-curves](https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-curves), which is

even safer and faster drop-in replacement library with same API.

Switch to curves if you intend to keep using these features:



- x25519 / curve25519 / getSharedSecret

- ristretto255 / RistrettoPoint

- Using `utils.precompute()` for non-base point

- Support for environments which don't support bigint literals

- Common.js support

- Support for node.js 18 and older without [shim](#usage)



Other changes for upgrading from @noble/ed25519 1.7 to 2.0:



- Methods are now sync by default; use `getPublicKeyAsync`, `signAsync`, `verifyAsync` for async versions

- `bigint` is no longer allowed in `getPublicKey`, `sign`, `verify`. Reason: ed25519 is LE, can lead to bugs

- `Point` (2d xy) has been changed to `ExtendedPoint` (xyzt)

- `Signature` was removed: just use raw bytes or hex now

- `utils` were split into `utils` (same api as in noble-curves) and

  `etc` (`sha512Sync` and others)



## Contributing & testing



- `npm install && npm run build && npm test` will build the code and run tests.

- `npm run bench` will run benchmarks, which may need their deps first (`npm run bench:install`)

- `npm run loc` will count total output size, important to be less than 4KB



Check out [github.com/paulmillr/guidelines](https://github.com/paulmillr/guidelines)

for general coding practices and rules.



See [paulmillr.com/noble](https://paulmillr.com/noble/)

for useful resources, articles, documentation and demos

related to the library.



## License



MIT (c) 2019 Paul Miller [(https://paulmillr.com)](https://paulmillr.com), see LICENSE file.



[^1]: https://zips.z.cash/zip-0215



[^2]: https://hdevalence.ca/blog/2020-10-04-its-25519am



[^3]: https://eprint.iacr.org/2020/1244