Messaging Layer
If the Identity Layer establishes who you are, the Messaging Layer defines how you communicate. Traditional email is a patchwork: plaintext origins, later bolted-on TLS, clunky MIME attachments, and endless spam countermeasures. It is interoperable, but brittle, surveilled, and inherently insecure. SolMail rethinks messaging as a wallet-native, end-to-end encrypted (E2EE), censorship-resistant protocol that integrates financial primitives, not ads or intermediaries.
Design Principles
Wallet as Inbox: Every Solana wallet can receive messages without requiring extra setup. Users may later opt into a full SolMail mailbox for enhanced UX, but the baseline is universal addressability.
E2EE by Default: Encryption is non-optional. Messages are encrypted client-side using ElGamal, attachments with AES-256, and signed with Ed25519. This prevents providers, relayers, or infrastructure nodes from inspecting contents.
On-Chain Metadata: Unlike Web2 email headers (easily forged), SolMail enforces cryptographic provenance. Sender, timestamp, and integrity checks are immutably anchored on-chain.
Programmability: A message isn’t just text. It may carry tokens, NFTs, invoices, or signed approvals — all verifiable and executable without leaving the inbox
Message Format
Solmail uses a format inspired by RFC 5322/2045, with a modified structure for decentralized and encrypted messaging. The message layout is divided as follows, where all fields except the version are encrypted, stored in a decentralized network as hashes, and referenced in the Mail’s account buffer.
Header
Header Includes
Version
Encrypted recipient wallet info
Identity proof (handle/domain, tagged as origin)
Body
Encrypted payload (can be plain text, structured JSON, or command instructions).
Attachments:
Contains hash mappings for attachments.
Each hash points to a file stored in a chosen decentralized storage provider.
Plugins:
Each plugin defines its own identifier keys.
Plugin data is structured in JSON and consumed by compatible client-side plugins for rendering.
Audit Trail:
Every message is anchored on the Solana ledger, providing an immutable log while keeping message content private.
Versioning Paradigm:
Unlike semantic versioning, Solmail uses client-based mapping for the major version
1 = Web client
2 = Mobile client
3 = DApp client
Minor and patch versions indicate iterations.
Inbox = Wallet (Email-as-a-Wallet)
The central innovation of SolMail is EaaW (Email-as-a-Wallet). In practice:
A DAO treasurer sends a payroll message → attached token transfers execute with one tap inside the inbox.
A freelancer receives an invoice → the recipient pays instantly via Solana Pay, directly from the message thread.
A DAO circulates a governance proposal → members sign approvals or multi-sig requests within the same thread.
The inbox ceases to be a passive communication channel and becomes an active financial and organizational command center.
Attachments and Storage
Attachments are often the weakest link in email security. SolMail addresses this by:
Distributed Storage: Files are uploaded to decentralized storage (e.g., Irys).
Client-Side Encryption: Only recipients hold keys, ensuring no relay or node can leak sensitive files.
Verifiable Integrity: Every attachment is hashed, signed, and logged on-chain, preventing tampering or “man-in-the-middle” substitution.
Thus, an attached contract or invoice is as tamper-proof as the blockchain itself.
Notifications and Real-Time Sync
Modern users expect more than just inbox refreshes. SolMail integrates:
Wallet-Native Alerts: Notifications flow directly to Phantom, Solflare, or any Solana wallet.
Push Infrastructure: Mobile apps receive encrypted push notifications without exposing message content.
Battery-Aware Sync: Background updates minimize device resource usage — essential for Solana Mobile and future Seeker integrations.
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