Tim Bouma on Nostr: Validation vs. Verification: A Fundamental Distinction Please Note: This is a ...

Validation vs. Verification: A Fundamental Distinction

Please Note: This is a #vibepost that has been generated, edited and reviewed by me.

Though often used interchangeably, validation and verification serve distinct purposes, particularly in systems that involve data, identity, and trust.
• Validation is about correctness and consistency within a given system. It asks: “Does this data follow the correct rules?”
• Verification is about congruence and completeness against an external reference. It asks: “Does this data match an external reality?”

Validation: A Self-Contained Mathematical Property

Validation can be purely mathematical and self-contained, meaning that its correctness is intrinsic to the system itself. It does not require external approval, only internal logical coherence.

For example:
• A cryptographic signature is valid if the signature mathematically corresponds to the provided public key.
• A blockchain transaction is valid if it follows the protocol rules (e.g., the inputs and outputs balance).
• A Nostr event is valid if the cryptographic signature correctly signs the message.

In all these cases, validation is purely computational. If the rules are correctly followed, the result is objectively valid—independent of social, legal, or contextual factors.

Verification: An External, Social Process

Verification, in contrast, requires an external reference point, usually a social fact. It determines whether the validated data corresponds to something real or agreed upon outside the system.

For example:
• A cryptographic signature may be valid, but is the key actually controlled by the right person? Verification would involve checking identity proofs outside the cryptographic system.
• A blockchain transaction may be valid, but is it legally recognized or socially accepted? Verification involves external entities (governments, institutions, courts).
• A Nostr event may be valid, but is the author who they claim to be? Verification would require additional trust mechanisms, like social recognition or external attestations.

Key Implication: Validation is Objective, Verification is Social
• Validation is deterministic—it can be calculated and proven mathematically, without human interpretation.
• Verification is contextual—it depends on external references, institutions, or collective agreements.

This is why cryptographic self-signed data (like Nostr events) are valid by design but may still require external verification to be trusted in broader social or legal contexts. Understanding this distinction helps clarify where decentralization succeeds (validation) and where human trust mechanisms are still necessary (verification).