diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 7b49738..7f24cb7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -69,11 +69,14 @@ jobs:
 
             > **Windows note:** The installer is not yet code-signed. Windows SmartScreen will show an "Unknown publisher" warning — click "More info → Run anyway" to install.
 
-            ### New in v0.9.6 — Font Size Fix
-            Fixed font scaling breaking layouts, especially on Windows.
-            - **Content-only zoom** — font size scaling now applies only to the content area, not the sidebar; sidebar stays consistent and readable at all sizes
-            - **Flex-wrap everywhere** — feed header, note card headers, note actions, compose box, settings theme grid, font size presets, media feed tabs, and profile header buttons all wrap gracefully at large zoom
-            - **Themes grid** — switched from fixed 4-column grid to responsive wrapping layout
+            ### New in v0.9.7 — Emoji Reactions & Search
+            - **Grouped emoji reactions** — reactions display as pills (❤️5 🤙3 🔥2) instead of a single count; multi-reaction per note; throttled fetch queue for reliability
+            - **npub search** — pasting a bare npub or nprofile in search navigates directly to that profile
+            - **Notification reliability** — poller waits for relay connection before first fetch; prevents empty badges on startup
+            - **Dev-only debug logger** — `debug.log/warn/error` silent in production builds
+
+            ### Previous: v0.9.6 — Font Size Fix
+            - Content-only zoom, flex-wrap everywhere, themes grid fix
 
             ### Previous: v0.9.4 — Search, Follows, Editor & Polish
             - Search overhaul (dedicated NIP-50 relays, hybrid results), follows view, article editor improvements (image previews, toolbar labels, drag-drop), auto-expanding textareas, profile layout fix, thread stability fix
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 0f45df3..87c5242 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ CI triggers on the tag and builds all three platforms (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS AR
 - `src/lib/nostr/` — NDK wrapper split into domain modules (`core.ts`, `notes.ts`, `social.ts`, `articles.ts`, `engagement.ts`, `dms.ts`, `bookmarks.ts`, `muting.ts`, `search.ts`, `relays.ts`, `trending.ts`); barrel `index.ts` re-exports all; all Nostr calls go through here
 - `src/lib/themes.ts` — Color theme definitions (7 themes) and `applyTheme()` utility
 - `src/lib/lightning/` — NWC client (`nwc.ts`); Lightning payment logic
-- `src/hooks/` — `useProfile.ts`, `useReactionCount.ts`
+- `src/hooks/` — `useProfile.ts`, `useReactions.ts` (grouped emoji reactions with throttled fetch queue)
+- `src/lib/debug.ts` — Dev-only logger (silent in production builds)
 - `src/components/feed/` — Feed, NoteCard, NoteContent, NoteActions, InlineReplyBox, TextSegments, MediaCards, ComposeBox
 - `src/components/profile/` — ProfileView, EditProfileForm, ImageField, Nip05Field, ProfileMediaGallery
 - `src/components/thread/` — ThreadView
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ CI triggers on the tag and builds all three platforms (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS AR
 **Implemented:**
 - Onboarding: key generation, nsec backup flow, login with nsec/npub
 - Global + following feed, compose, reply, thread view
-- Reactions (NIP-25) with live network counts
+- Reactions (NIP-25) with **grouped emoji pills** (❤️5 🤙3 🔥2), multi-reaction per note, throttled fetch queue
 - Follow/unfollow (NIP-02), contact list publishing
 - Profile view + edit (kind 0) with Notes/Articles tab toggle
 - Long-form article editor (NIP-23) with **markdown toolbar** (bold, italic, heading, link, image, quote, code, list), **keyboard shortcuts** (Ctrl+B/I/K), **multi-draft management**, **cover image file picker**
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ CI triggers on the tag and builds all three platforms (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS AR
 - **NIP-98 HTTP Auth** for image uploads with fallback services (nostr.build, void.cat, nostrimg.com)
 - Zaps: NWC wallet connect (NIP-47) + NIP-57 via NDKZapper
 - **Advanced search** — query parser with modifiers: `by:author`, `mentions:npub`, `kind:N`, `is:article`, `has:image`, `since:date`, `until:date`, `#hashtag`, `"phrase"`, boolean `OR`; NIP-05 resolution; client-side content filters; search help panel
-- Search: NIP-50 full-text, hashtag (#t filter), people, articles
+- Search: NIP-50 full-text, hashtag (#t filter), people, articles, **npub/nprofile direct navigation**
 - Settings: color themes (7 presets), font size presets, NWC wallet, notifications, data export, identity, mute lists
 - **Relay management** — consolidated Relays view with add/remove individual relays, health checker (NIP-11 info, WebSocket latency, online/slow/offline status), expandable cards with all supported NIPs, per-relay remove button, "Remove dead" workflow, publish relay list (NIP-65)
 - **Relay recommendations** — suggest relays based on follows' NIP-65 relay lists; "Discover relays" button with follow count, one-click "Add"
@@ -143,7 +144,8 @@ CI triggers on the tag and builds all three platforms (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS AR
 - **Dedicated hashtag pages** — clicking #tag opens a live feed, not generic search
 - **Keyword muting** — word/phrase mute list, client-side filtering across all views
 - **Follow suggestion dismissal** — persistent "don't suggest again" per person
-- **Background notification poller** — 60s polling for mentions, zaps, new followers; each type independently toggleable
+- **Background notification poller** — 60s polling for mentions, zaps, new followers; each type independently toggleable; relay-aware startup (waits for connection before first fetch)
+- **Dev-only debug logger** — `debug.log/warn/error` via `src/lib/debug.ts`; uses `import.meta.env.DEV`, silent in production
 - **Trending feed polish** — 24h time window, time decay scoring, articles mixed with notes
 - **NIP-46 remote signer** — bunker:// URI login, session persistence via toPayload/fromPayload, account switching
 - **Media feed** — dedicated "Media" view with All/Videos/Images/Audio tabs; filters notes by embedded media type
diff --git a/PKGBUILD b/PKGBUILD
index 4cae22e..d79fe91 100644
--- a/PKGBUILD
+++ b/PKGBUILD
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Maintainer: hoornet <hoornet@users.noreply.github.com>
 pkgname=wrystr
-pkgver=0.9.6
+pkgver=0.9.7
 pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc="Cross-platform Nostr desktop client with Lightning integration"
 arch=('x86_64')
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f376a33..34920a0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "wrystr",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.9.6",
+  "version": "0.9.7",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index e17158e..7c275c0 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "wrystr"
-version = "0.9.6"
+version = "0.9.7"
 description = "Cross-platform Nostr desktop client with Lightning integration"
 authors = ["hoornet"]
 edition = "2021"
diff --git a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 2b61b73..afd96f4 100644
--- a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://schema.tauri.app/config/2",
   "productName": "Wrystr",
-  "version": "0.9.6",
+  "version": "0.9.7",
   "identifier": "com.hoornet.wrystr",
   "build": {
     "beforeDevCommand": "npm run dev",