settings-nav fence: 10 sections since the invitations section (#332)

Any authenticated user can invite an e-mail address; the mailed
single-use token lets exactly one signup through even while
registration is closed. Open (pending, unexpired) invitations count
against the new instance setting invitations.maxOpenPerUser (default 5,
0 disables inviting) — plus a 20/day per-user rate limit so a
revoke-and-recreate loop cannot become a mail cannon. Only the SHA-256
token hash is stored (auth-tokens pattern); a failed signup (taken
username) un-redeems the token so the invitee can retry.

Surfaces: invitations section in the user settings (list, invite,
revoke, quota line; wide table in a focusable .table-scroll region),
signup page reads ?invitation=<token> (preview banner, e-mail prefill,
closed-mode gate opens only for a previewed-valid token), admin general
card gets the quota field (flat RHF name per #322; VS-NfD marked and
hideable).

Governance: audit actions invitation.created/revoked/accepted
(catalogue 1.10), VS-NfD profile entry (compliant: 0) + hardening-guide
row, i18n de+en including the invitation mail template.

Tests: api e2e-db (mail link, closed-mode single-use signup with
un-redeem on failure, quota + revoke frees slot, quota 0 = 403, auth
matrix), new web e2e pack invitations.spec.ts (full UI loop through
Mailpit, wired into ci.yml with its own rate-limit reset), a11y scan
waits for the new section. Full api suite (107 files / 607 tests),
auth/admin-settings/a11y packs green against a fresh local stack.

Closes #332

.gitea/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -375,6 +375,18 @@ jobs:
           E2E_BASE_URL=http://localhost:5173 \
             pnpm --filter @dorfteich/web exec playwright test e2e/admin-users.spec.ts
 
+      - name: Reset login rate limit before invitations pack
+        run: |
+          echo "DELETE FROM rate_limits WHERE key LIKE 'login%';" | \
+            pnpm --filter @dorfteich/api exec prisma db execute --stdin --url "$DATABASE_URL"
+
+      # Invitations (issue #332) need the mail catcher like the auth pack:
+      # the invite link and the follow-up verification both travel by mail.
+      - name: Run invitations pack
+        run: |
+          E2E_BASE_URL=http://localhost:5173 E2E_MAILPIT_URL=http://mailpit:8025 \
+            pnpm --filter @dorfteich/web exec playwright test e2e/invitations.spec.ts
+
       - name: Reset login rate limit before permission-matrix pack
         run: |
           echo "DELETE FROM rate_limits WHERE key LIKE 'login%';" | \

apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260805120000_invitations/migration.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+-- Peer invitations (issue #332): a user invites an e-mail address; the token
+-- allows exactly one registration even while registration is closed.
+
+-- CreateTable
+CREATE TABLE "invitations" (
+    "id" TEXT NOT NULL,
+    "inviter_id" TEXT NOT NULL,
+    "email" TEXT NOT NULL,
+    "token_hash" TEXT NOT NULL,
+    "expires_at" TIMESTAMP(3) NOT NULL,
+    "revoked_at" TIMESTAMP(3),
+    "accepted_at" TIMESTAMP(3),
+    "accepted_user_id" TEXT,
+    "created_at" TIMESTAMP(3) NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+
+    CONSTRAINT "invitations_pkey" PRIMARY KEY ("id")
+);
+
+-- CreateIndex
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX "invitations_token_hash_key" ON "invitations"("token_hash");
+
+-- CreateIndex
+CREATE INDEX "invitations_inviter_id_idx" ON "invitations"("inviter_id");
+
+-- AddForeignKey
+ALTER TABLE "invitations" ADD CONSTRAINT "invitations_inviter_id_fkey" FOREIGN KEY ("inviter_id") REFERENCES "users"("id") ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE CASCADE;

apps/api/prisma/schema.prisma

@@ -68,10 +68,34 @@ model User {
   notifications  Notification[]
   favorites      PageFavorite[]
   customFonts    CustomFont[]
+  invitations    Invitation[]   @relation("InvitationsSent")
 
   @@map("users")
 }
 
+/// Peer invitations (issue #332): a user invites an e-mail address; the
+/// token allows exactly one registration even while registration is
+/// closed. Only the SHA-256 hash of the token is stored (auth-tokens
+/// pattern); revoked/accepted rows are kept so the settings UI can show
+/// history. "Open" (pending, unexpired) rows count against the per-user
+/// quota `invitations.maxOpenPerUser`.
+model Invitation {
+  id             String    @id @default(uuid())
+  inviterId      String    @map("inviter_id")
+  email          String
+  tokenHash      String    @unique @map("token_hash")
+  expiresAt      DateTime  @map("expires_at")
+  revokedAt      DateTime? @map("revoked_at")
+  acceptedAt     DateTime? @map("accepted_at")
+  acceptedUserId String?   @map("accepted_user_id")
+  createdAt      DateTime  @default(now()) @map("created_at")
+
+  inviter User @relation("InvitationsSent", fields: [inviterId], references: [id], onDelete: Cascade)
+
+  @@index([inviterId])
+  @@map("invitations")
+}
+
 /// Persistent audit trail (issue #86, security.md §Logging): auth events and
 /// admin actions — grants, member roles, plugin installs, quota and settings
 /// changes, setup steps, manual job triggers. Written by AuditService, which

apps/api/src/audit/audit-actions.ts

@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ export const AUDIT_EVENTS = {
   'file.integrity_failed': { severity: 'critical' },
   'grant.created': { severity: 'notice' },
   'grant.deleted': { severity: 'notice' },
+  'invitation.accepted': { severity: 'notice' },
+  'invitation.created': { severity: 'info' },
+  'invitation.revoked': { severity: 'info' },
   'job.triggered': { severity: 'info' },
   'member.added': { severity: 'notice' },
   'member.removed': { severity: 'notice' },

apps/api/src/auth/auth.module.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { APP_GUARD } from '@nestjs/core';
 
 import { AppConfig } from '../config/app-config.service';
 import { GrantsModule } from '../grants/grants.module';
+import { InvitationsModule } from '../invitations/invitations.module';
 
 import { MailModule } from '../mail/mail.module';
 import { PondsModule } from '../ponds/ponds.module';
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ import { ProxyIdentityService } from './proxy-identity.service';
 import { SessionsModule } from './sessions.module';
 
 @Module({
-  imports: [UsersModule, MailModule, SessionsModule, PondsModule, GrantsModule],
+  imports: [UsersModule, MailModule, SessionsModule, PondsModule, GrantsModule, InvitationsModule],
   controllers: [AuthController, OidcController],
   providers: [
     AuthService,

apps/api/src/auth/auth.service.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { User } from '@prisma/client';
 import { PinoLogger } from 'nestjs-pino';
 
 import { AppConfig } from '../config/app-config.service';
+import { InvitationsService } from '../invitations/invitations.service';
 import { MailService } from '../mail/mail.service';
 import { PondsService } from '../ponds/ponds.service';
 import { AuditService } from '../audit/audit.service';
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export class AuthService {
     private readonly sessions: SessionsService,
     private readonly mail: MailService,
     private readonly ponds: PondsService,
+    private readonly invitations: InvitationsService,
     private readonly rateLimits: RateLimitService,
     private readonly audit: AuditService,
     private readonly config: AppConfig,
@@ -43,10 +45,37 @@ export class AuthService {
   }
 
   async signup(input: SignupInput): Promise<void> {
-    if ((await this.settings.get('auth.registrationMode')) === 'closed') {
+    // An invitation token (issue #332) lets exactly one signup through a
+    // closed registration. Claimed atomically BEFORE the account exists;
+    // rolled back if the signup fails (duplicate username), so the invitee
+    // can retry with the same link.
+    const invitation = input.invitationToken
+      ? await this.invitations.redeem(input.invitationToken)
+      : null;
+    if (input.invitationToken && !invitation) {
+      throw new BadRequestException({ code: 'token_invalid' });
+    }
+    if (!invitation && (await this.settings.get('auth.registrationMode')) === 'closed') {
       throw new ForbiddenException({ code: 'registration_closed' });
     }
-    const user = await this.users.createUser(input);
+    let user: User;
+    try {
+      user = await this.users.createUser(input);
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (invitation) await this.invitations.unredeem(invitation.id);
+      throw error;
+    }
+    if (invitation) {
+      await this.invitations.markAccepted(invitation.id, user.id);
+      await this.audit.record({
+        action: 'invitation.accepted',
+        actorId: user.id,
+        targetType: 'invitation',
+        targetId: invitation.id,
+      });
+    }
+    // The invite link proves nothing about the mailbox (it can be
+    // forwarded), so the usual verification mail still applies.
     await this.sendVerificationMail(user);
     await this.audit.record({ action: 'auth.signup', actorId: user.id });
   }

apps/api/src/invitations/invitations.controller.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { Body, Controller, Delete, Get, HttpCode, Param, Post, Req } from '@nestjs/common';
+import {
+  CreateInvitationInput,
+  InvitationListView,
+  InvitationPreview,
+  InvitationView,
+  createInvitationSchema,
+  invitationPreviewSchema,
+} from '@dorfteich/shared';
+
+import { AuthedRequest, Public } from '../auth/auth.guard';
+import { ZodValidationPipe } from '../common/zod-validation.pipe';
+import { AuthenticatedOnly } from '../permissions/permission.decorators';
+import { InvitationsService } from './invitations.service';
+
+/** Peer invitations (issue #332). */
+@AuthenticatedOnly()
+@Controller('invitations')
+export class InvitationsController {
+  constructor(private readonly invitations: InvitationsService) {}
+
+  @Post()
+  async create(
+    @Body(new ZodValidationPipe(createInvitationSchema)) input: CreateInvitationInput,
+    @Req() request: AuthedRequest,
+  ): Promise<InvitationView> {
+    return this.invitations.create(request.user!, input.email);
+  }
+
+  @Get()
+  async list(@Req() request: AuthedRequest): Promise<InvitationListView> {
+    return this.invitations.list(request.user!);
+  }
+
+  @Delete(':id')
+  @HttpCode(204)
+  async revoke(@Param('id') id: string, @Req() request: AuthedRequest): Promise<void> {
+    await this.invitations.revoke(request.user!, id);
+  }
+
+  /** The signup screen's link check — POST keeps the token out of logs. */
+  @Public()
+  @Post('preview')
+  @HttpCode(200)
+  async preview(
+    @Body(new ZodValidationPipe(invitationPreviewSchema)) input: { token: string },
+  ): Promise<InvitationPreview> {
+    return this.invitations.preview(input.token);
+  }
+}

apps/api/src/invitations/invitations.e2e.db.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+import { INestApplication } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { InvitationListView, InvitationPreview, InvitationView } from '@dorfteich/shared';
+import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client';
+import request from 'supertest';
+import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { InstanceSettingsService } from '../settings/instance-settings.service';
+import { createTestApp, sessionCookieOf } from '../testing/test-app';
+import { createTestPrisma, deletePondsWhere, hasTestDb, uniqueSuffix } from '../testing/test-db';
+import { UsersService } from '../users/users.service';
+
+/**
+ * Peer invitations end to end (issue #332): inviting mails a single-use
+ * link, open invitations are quota-bound per user, and a valid token lets
+ * exactly one signup through a closed registration. Settings written here
+ * are restored inside each test and the keys are deleted in afterAll
+ * (shared-DB rule).
+ */
+describe.skipIf(!hasTestDb)('invitations (e2e, issue #332)', () => {
+  let app: INestApplication;
+  let prisma: PrismaClient;
+  const suffix = uniqueSuffix();
+  const password = 'einladungen sind praktisch 1';
+  const ids: Record<string, string> = {};
+  const cookies: Record<string, string> = {};
+
+  const api = () => request(app.getHttpServer());
+  const settings = () => app.get(InstanceSettingsService);
+
+  async function makeUser(handle: string): Promise<void> {
+    const users = app.get(UsersService);
+    const username = `inv-${handle}-${suffix}`;
+    const user = await users.createUser({
+      username,
+      email: `${username}@example.org`,
+      displayName: `Inv ${handle}`,
+      password,
+      locale: 'en',
+    });
+    await users.markEmailVerified(user.id);
+    ids[handle] = user.id;
+    cookies[handle] = sessionCookieOf(
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/auth/login')
+        .send({ usernameOrEmail: username, password })
+        .expect(200),
+    );
+  }
+
+  /** The raw token only travels in the mail — fish it out of the outbox. */
+  async function mailedTokenFor(email: string): Promise<string> {
+    const mail = await prisma.mailOutbox.findFirstOrThrow({
+      where: { toAddress: email },
+      orderBy: { createdAt: 'desc' },
+    });
+    const match = /invitation=([A-Za-z0-9_-]+)/.exec(mail.textBody);
+    expect(match).not.toBeNull();
+    return match![1]!;
+  }
+
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    prisma = createTestPrisma();
+    await prisma.rateLimit.deleteMany({});
+    app = await createTestApp();
+    await makeUser('alice');
+    await makeUser('quota');
+  });
+
+  afterAll(async () => {
+    await prisma.instanceSetting.deleteMany({
+      where: { key: { in: ['auth.registrationMode', 'invitations.maxOpenPerUser'] } },
+    });
+    const all = Object.values(ids);
+    await prisma.invitation.deleteMany({ where: { inviterId: { in: all } } });
+    await prisma.mailOutbox.deleteMany({ where: { toAddress: { contains: suffix } } });
+    await prisma.session.deleteMany({ where: { userId: { in: all } } });
+    await deletePondsWhere(prisma, { ownerId: { in: all } });
+    await prisma.userIdentity.deleteMany({ where: { userId: { in: all } } });
+    await prisma.user.deleteMany({ where: { id: { in: all } } });
+    await prisma.$disconnect();
+    await app.close();
+  });
+
+  it('invites, lists, and mails a single-use signup link', async () => {
+    const invitee = `guest-${suffix}@example.org`;
+    const res = await api()
+      .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+      .set('Cookie', cookies.alice!)
+      .send({ email: invitee })
+      .expect(201);
+    const view = res.body as InvitationView;
+    expect(view.status).toBe('pending');
+
+    const list = (await api().get('/api/v1/invitations').set('Cookie', cookies.alice!).expect(200))
+      .body as InvitationListView;
+    expect(list.open).toBe(1);
+    expect(list.maxOpen).toBe(5);
+    expect(list.invitations.map((i) => i.id)).toContain(view.id);
+
+    // The mail exists and the public preview identifies the inviter.
+    const token = await mailedTokenFor(invitee);
+    const preview = (await api().post('/api/v1/invitations/preview').send({ token }).expect(200))
+      .body as InvitationPreview;
+    expect(preview.email).toBe(invitee);
+    expect(preview.inviterName).toBe('Inv alice');
+  });
+
+  it('a valid token passes a closed registration exactly once; a burned signup attempt does not consume it', async () => {
+    const invitee = `joiner-${suffix}@example.org`;
+    await api()
+      .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+      .set('Cookie', cookies.alice!)
+      .send({ email: invitee })
+      .expect(201);
+    const token = await mailedTokenFor(invitee);
+
+    await settings().set('auth.registrationMode', 'closed', ids.alice!);
+    try {
+      // Closed without a token: refused.
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/auth/signup')
+        .send({
+          username: `inv-blocked-${suffix}`,
+          email: `inv-blocked-${suffix}@example.org`,
+          displayName: 'Blocked',
+          password,
+          locale: 'en',
+        })
+        .expect(403);
+
+      // A failing signup (taken username) must NOT burn the token.
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/auth/signup')
+        .send({
+          username: `inv-alice-${suffix}`, // taken
+          email: invitee,
+          displayName: 'Joiner',
+          password,
+          locale: 'en',
+          invitationToken: token,
+        })
+        .expect(409);
+
+      // Same link, fresh username: through, despite closed mode.
+      const username = `inv-joiner-${suffix}`;
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/auth/signup')
+        .send({
+          username,
+          email: invitee,
+          displayName: 'Joiner',
+          password,
+          locale: 'en',
+          invitationToken: token,
+        })
+        .expect(201);
+      const joiner = await prisma.user.findUniqueOrThrow({ where: { username } });
+      ids.joiner = joiner.id;
+
+      // The invitation is tied to the new account…
+      const accepted = await prisma.invitation.findFirstOrThrow({
+        where: { acceptedUserId: joiner.id },
+      });
+      expect(accepted.acceptedAt).not.toBeNull();
+
+      // …and the token is single-use.
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/auth/signup')
+        .send({
+          username: `inv-replay-${suffix}`,
+          email: `inv-replay-${suffix}@example.org`,
+          displayName: 'Replay',
+          password,
+          locale: 'en',
+          invitationToken: token,
+        })
+        .expect(400);
+    } finally {
+      await settings().set('auth.registrationMode', 'open', ids.alice!);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('enforces the open-invitations quota and frees it on revoke', async () => {
+    await settings().set('invitations.maxOpenPerUser', 2, ids.alice!);
+    try {
+      const first = (
+        await api()
+          .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+          .set('Cookie', cookies.quota!)
+          .send({ email: `q1-${suffix}@example.org` })
+          .expect(201)
+      ).body as InvitationView;
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+        .set('Cookie', cookies.quota!)
+        .send({ email: `q2-${suffix}@example.org` })
+        .expect(201);
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+        .set('Cookie', cookies.quota!)
+        .send({ email: `q3-${suffix}@example.org` })
+        .expect(400)
+        .expect((r) => expect((r.body as { code: string }).code).toBe('invitation_quota_reached'));
+
+      // Revoking an open invitation frees the slot…
+      await api()
+        .delete(`/api/v1/invitations/${first.id}`)
+        .set('Cookie', cookies.quota!)
+        .expect(204);
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+        .set('Cookie', cookies.quota!)
+        .send({ email: `q3-${suffix}@example.org` })
+        .expect(201);
+
+      // …and the revoked token is dead.
+      const revokedToken = await mailedTokenFor(`q1-${suffix}@example.org`);
+      await api().post('/api/v1/invitations/preview').send({ token: revokedToken }).expect(400);
+    } finally {
+      await settings().set('invitations.maxOpenPerUser', 5, ids.alice!);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('quota 0 disables inviting entirely', async () => {
+    await settings().set('invitations.maxOpenPerUser', 0, ids.alice!);
+    try {
+      await api()
+        .post('/api/v1/invitations')
+        .set('Cookie', cookies.alice!)
+        .send({ email: `off-${suffix}@example.org` })
+        .expect(403)
+        .expect((r) => expect((r.body as { code: string }).code).toBe('invitations_disabled'));
+    } finally {
+      await settings().set('invitations.maxOpenPerUser', 5, ids.alice!);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('requires a session for create/list/revoke but not for preview', async () => {
+    await api().post('/api/v1/invitations').send({ email: 'nope@example.org' }).expect(401);
+    await api().get('/api/v1/invitations').expect(401);
+    await api()
+      .post('/api/v1/invitations/preview')
+      .send({ token: 'x'.repeat(32) })
+      .expect(400);
+  });
+});

apps/api/src/invitations/invitations.module.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
+
+import { MailModule } from '../mail/mail.module';
+import { InvitationsController } from './invitations.controller';
+import { InvitationsService } from './invitations.service';
+
+@Module({
+  imports: [MailModule],
+  controllers: [InvitationsController],
+  providers: [InvitationsService],
+  exports: [InvitationsService],
+})
+export class InvitationsModule {}

apps/api/src/invitations/invitations.service.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+import { createHash, randomBytes } from 'node:crypto';
+
+import {
+  BadRequestException,
+  ForbiddenException,
+  HttpException,
+  HttpStatus,
+  Injectable,
+  NotFoundException,
+} from '@nestjs/common';
+import {
+  InvitationListView,
+  InvitationPreview,
+  InvitationStatus,
+  InvitationView,
+} from '@dorfteich/shared';
+import { Invitation, User } from '@prisma/client';
+
+import { AuditService } from '../audit/audit.service';
+import { AppConfig } from '../config/app-config.service';
+import { MailService } from '../mail/mail.service';
+import { PrismaService } from '../prisma/prisma.service';
+import { RateLimitService } from '../rate-limit/rate-limit.service';
+import { InstanceSettingsService } from '../settings/instance-settings.service';
+
+export const INVITATION_TTL_SECONDS = 14 * 24 * 60 * 60;
+
+// Anti-spam backstop besides the open-invitations quota: without it a
+// revoke-and-recreate loop would allow unlimited mail volume while never
+// exceeding the quota.
+const CREATE_LIMIT = { limit: 20, windowSeconds: 24 * 60 * 60 };
+
+/**
+ * Peer invitations (issue #332). A user invites an e-mail address; the
+ * mailed single-use token lets exactly one signup through even while
+ * registration is closed (auth.service). Open (pending, unexpired)
+ * invitations count against the per-user quota
+ * `invitations.maxOpenPerUser` — 0 turns the feature off. Only the
+ * SHA-256 hash of the token is stored (auth-tokens pattern); revoked and
+ * accepted rows are kept so the settings UI can show history.
+ */
+@Injectable()
+export class InvitationsService {
+  constructor(
+    private readonly prisma: PrismaService,
+    private readonly mail: MailService,
+    private readonly rateLimits: RateLimitService,
+    private readonly settings: InstanceSettingsService,
+    private readonly audit: AuditService,
+    private readonly config: AppConfig,
+  ) {}
+
+  async create(user: User, email: string): Promise<InvitationView> {
+    const maxOpen = (await this.settings.get('invitations.maxOpenPerUser')) as number;
+    if (maxOpen === 0) throw new ForbiddenException({ code: 'invitations_disabled' });
+    if ((await this.openCount(user.id)) >= maxOpen) {
+      throw new BadRequestException({ code: 'invitation_quota_reached' });
+    }
+    const limit = await this.rateLimits.hit(
+      'invitation-create',
+      user.id,
+      CREATE_LIMIT.limit,
+      CREATE_LIMIT.windowSeconds,
+    );
+    if (!limit.allowed) {
+      throw new HttpException({ code: 'rate_limited' }, HttpStatus.TOO_MANY_REQUESTS);
+    }
+
+    const raw = randomBytes(32).toString('base64url');
+    const row = await this.prisma.invitation.create({
+      data: {
+        inviterId: user.id,
+        email: email.toLowerCase(),
+        tokenHash: hashToken(raw),
+        expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + INVITATION_TTL_SECONDS * 1000),
+      },
+    });
+    // The invitee has no account and no locale yet — the instance default
+    // decides the mail language. The greeting falls back to the address.
+    await this.mail.enqueue(
+      row.email,
+      'invitation',
+      {
+        displayName: row.email,
+        inviterName: user.displayName,
+        link: `${this.config.env.APP_BASE_URL}/signup?invitation=${raw}`,
+      },
+      (await this.settings.get('instance.defaultLocale')) as 'de' | 'en',
+    );
+    await this.audit.record({
+      action: 'invitation.created',
+      actorId: user.id,
+      targetType: 'invitation',
+      targetId: row.id,
+    });
+    return this.viewOf(row);
+  }
+
+  async list(user: User): Promise<InvitationListView> {
+    const rows = await this.prisma.invitation.findMany({
+      where: { inviterId: user.id },
+      orderBy: { createdAt: 'desc' },
+      take: 100,
+    });
+    return {
+      invitations: rows.map((row) => this.viewOf(row)),
+      open: await this.openCount(user.id),
+      maxOpen: (await this.settings.get('invitations.maxOpenPerUser')) as number,
+    };
+  }
+
+  async revoke(user: User, id: string): Promise<void> {
+    const row = await this.prisma.invitation.findFirst({
+      where: { id, inviterId: user.id },
+    });
+    if (!row) throw new NotFoundException();
+    if (row.acceptedAt) throw new BadRequestException({ code: 'invitation_already_accepted' });
+    if (row.revokedAt) return; // idempotent
+    await this.prisma.invitation.update({ where: { id }, data: { revokedAt: new Date() } });
+    await this.audit.record({
+      action: 'invitation.revoked',
+      actorId: user.id,
+      targetType: 'invitation',
+      targetId: id,
+    });
+  }
+
+  /** What the signup screen may show for a link before it is used. */
+  async preview(raw: string): Promise<InvitationPreview> {
+    const row = await this.prisma.invitation.findUnique({
+      where: { tokenHash: hashToken(raw) },
+      include: { inviter: true },
+    });
+    if (!row || row.revokedAt || row.acceptedAt || row.expiresAt <= new Date()) {
+      throw new BadRequestException({ code: 'token_invalid' });
+    }
+    return { email: row.email, inviterName: row.inviter.displayName };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Atomically claims the token (only one signup can flip acceptedAt from
+   * null). Returns the row, or null for unknown/revoked/expired/used
+   * tokens. The caller un-redeems if the signup fails afterwards.
+   */
+  async redeem(raw: string): Promise<Invitation | null> {
+    const result = await this.prisma.invitation.updateMany({
+      where: {
+        tokenHash: hashToken(raw),
+        revokedAt: null,
+        acceptedAt: null,
+        expiresAt: { gt: new Date() },
+      },
+      data: { acceptedAt: new Date() },
+    });
+    if (result.count === 0) return null;
+    return this.prisma.invitation.findUnique({ where: { tokenHash: hashToken(raw) } });
+  }
+
+  /** Ties the redeemed invitation to the account it created. */
+  async markAccepted(id: string, userId: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.prisma.invitation.update({ where: { id }, data: { acceptedUserId: userId } });
+  }
+
+  /** Rolls a redeem back when the signup it gated failed (e.g. duplicate
+   * username) — the invitee must be able to try again with the same link. */
+  async unredeem(id: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.prisma.invitation.updateMany({
+      where: { id, acceptedUserId: null },
+      data: { acceptedAt: null },
+    });
+  }
+
+  private openCount(inviterId: string): Promise<number> {
+    return this.prisma.invitation.count({
+      where: { inviterId, revokedAt: null, acceptedAt: null, expiresAt: { gt: new Date() } },
+    });
+  }
+
+  private viewOf(row: Invitation): InvitationView {
+    return {
+      id: row.id,
+      email: row.email,
+      status: statusOf(row),
+      createdAt: row.createdAt.toISOString(),
+      expiresAt: row.expiresAt.toISOString(),
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+function statusOf(row: Invitation): InvitationStatus {
+  if (row.revokedAt) return 'revoked';
+  if (row.acceptedAt) return 'accepted';
+  if (row.expiresAt <= new Date()) return 'expired';
+  return 'pending';
+}
+
+function hashToken(raw: string): string {
+  return createHash('sha256').update(raw).digest('hex');
+}

apps/api/src/mail/mail-templates.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { apiI18n } from '../i18n/api-i18n';
 
-export type MailTemplate = 'verifyEmail' | 'resetPassword' | 'smtpTest';
+export type MailTemplate = 'verifyEmail' | 'resetPassword' | 'smtpTest' | 'invitation';
 
 export interface RenderedMail {
   subject: string;
@@ -15,14 +15,15 @@ export interface RenderedMail {
  */
 export function renderMail(
   template: MailTemplate,
-  params: { displayName: string; link: string },
+  // Extra keys (e.g. inviterName, #332) interpolate into the body text.
+  params: { displayName: string; link: string } & Record<string, string>,
   locale: 'de' | 'en',
 ): RenderedMail {
   const t = (key: string, options: Record<string, string> = {}): string =>
     apiI18n.t(`mails:${key}`, { lng: locale, ...options });
 
   const greeting = t('common.greeting', { displayName: params.displayName });
-  const body = t(`${template}.body`);
+  const body = t(`${template}.body`, params);
   const action = t(`${template}.action`);
   const expiry = t(`${template}.expiry`);
   const ignore = t('common.ignoreHint');

apps/api/src/mail/mail.service.ts

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export class MailService {
   async enqueue(
     to: string,
     template: MailTemplate,
-    params: { displayName: string; link: string },
+    params: { displayName: string; link: string } & Record<string, string>,
     locale: 'de' | 'en',
   ): Promise<void> {
     const rendered = renderMail(template, params, locale);

apps/api/src/settings/instance-settings.service.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ import { PrismaService } from '../prisma/prisma.service';
  */
 export const INSTANCE_SETTINGS = {
   'auth.registrationMode': z.enum(['open', 'closed']).default('open'),
+  // Peer invitations (issue #332): max OPEN (pending, unexpired)
+  // invitations per user; 0 turns inviting off entirely.
+  'invitations.maxOpenPerUser': z.number().int().min(0).default(5),
   'instance.name': z.string().trim().min(1).max(60).default('Dorfteich'),
   'instance.defaultLocale': z.enum(['de', 'en']).default('en'),
   // Branding assets (issue #306). Metadata only — the PNG bytes live under

apps/web/e2e/a11y.spec.ts

@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ for (const scheme of SCHEMES) {
       await page.emulateMedia({ colorScheme: scheme });
       await page.goto('/settings');
       await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
+      // Einladungs-Abschnitt (issue #332) gerendert — sonst liefe der Scan
+      // auch grün, wenn die Sektion gar nicht erscheint.
+      await page.locator('.invitations').waitFor();
       await expectClean(page, `/settings (${scheme})`);
 
       // Lizenzseite im selben Kontext (issue #304: sie trägt seit den

apps/web/e2e/invitations.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
+
+import { contextForUser, latestMailFor, tokenFromMail } from './helpers';
+
+/**
+ * Peer invitations (issue #332), the full loop through the UI: a user
+ * invites an address, registration is closed, the invitee registers
+ * through the mailed link anyway, verifies, and the inviter sees the
+ * invitation accepted. Needs Mailpit like the auth pack.
+ */
+const MAILPIT_URL = process.env.E2E_MAILPIT_URL;
+test.skip(!MAILPIT_URL, 'requires a Mailpit instance (E2E_MAILPIT_URL)');
+
+const BASE_URL = process.env.E2E_BASE_URL ?? 'http://localhost:5173';
+
+test('invite -> closed registration -> signup through the link -> accepted', async ({
+  browser,
+  page,
+}) => {
+  const stamp = Date.now().toString(36);
+  const invitee = `invited-${stamp}@dorfteich.test`;
+
+  const admin = await contextForUser(browser, BASE_URL, 'fixture-admin');
+  const inviter = await contextForUser(browser, BASE_URL, 'fixture-user');
+  await admin.request.patch('/api/v1/admin/settings', {
+    data: { 'auth.registrationMode': 'closed' },
+  });
+  try {
+    // Invite through the settings UI.
+    const settingsPage = await inviter.newPage();
+    await settingsPage.goto('/settings');
+    const section = settingsPage.locator('.invitations');
+    await section.getByLabel(/e-mail/i).fill(invitee);
+    await section.getByRole('button', { name: /^(invite|einladen)$/i }).click();
+    await expect(section.locator('.invitations__sent')).toHaveText(/sent|verschickt/i);
+    const row = section.locator(`.invitation-row[data-email="${invitee}"]`);
+    await expect(row.locator('.invitation-row__status')).toHaveText(/open|offen/i);
+
+    // Plain signup is closed…
+    await page.goto('/signup');
+    await expect(page.locator('.form-banner')).toHaveText(/closed|geschlossen/i);
+
+    // …but the mailed link opens the form, inviter banner and prefill included.
+    const mail = await latestMailFor(MAILPIT_URL!, invitee);
+    const invitationToken = /invitation=([A-Za-z0-9_-]+)/.exec(mail.text)?.[1];
+    expect(invitationToken).toBeTruthy();
+    await page.goto(`/signup?invitation=${invitationToken}`);
+    await expect(page.locator('.signup-invitation__banner')).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByLabel(/e-mail/i)).toHaveValue(invitee);
+    const username = `invited-${stamp}`;
+    await page.getByLabel(/username|benutzername/i).fill(username);
+    await page.getByLabel(/display name|anzeigename/i).fill('Invited Guest');
+    await page.getByLabel(/^password|^passwort/i).fill('ein einladungs passwort 1');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /register|registrieren/i }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: /inbox|postfach/i })).toBeVisible();
+
+    // The usual verification still applies (the link proves nothing about
+    // the mailbox). Two mails went to this address — poll for the second.
+    let verifyToken = '';
+    await expect(async () => {
+      const verifyMail = await latestMailFor(MAILPIT_URL!, invitee);
+      expect(verifyMail.text).toContain('/verify-email');
+      verifyToken = tokenFromMail(verifyMail.text);
+    }).toPass();
+    await page.goto(`/verify-email?token=${verifyToken}`);
+    await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: /confirmed|bestätigt/i })).toBeVisible();
+
+    // The inviter sees the acceptance; the used link is dead.
+    await settingsPage.reload();
+    await expect(
+      settingsPage
+        .locator(`.invitation-row[data-email="${invitee}"]`)
+        .locator('.invitation-row__status'),
+    ).toHaveText(/accepted|angenommen/i);
+    await page.goto(`/signup?invitation=${invitationToken}`);
+    await expect(page.locator('.signup-invitation__invalid')).toBeVisible();
+
+    // Revoke flow through the UI: a second invitation dies by revoke.
+    const second = `revoked-${stamp}@dorfteich.test`;
+    await section.getByLabel(/e-mail/i).fill(second);
+    await section.getByRole('button', { name: /^(invite|einladen)$/i }).click();
+    const secondRow = section.locator(`.invitation-row[data-email="${second}"]`);
+    await expect(secondRow.locator('.invitation-row__status')).toHaveText(/open|offen/i);
+    await secondRow.getByRole('button', { name: /revoke|widerrufen/i }).click();
+    await expect(secondRow.locator('.invitation-row__status')).toHaveText(/revoked|widerrufen/i);
+  } finally {
+    await admin.request.patch('/api/v1/admin/settings', {
+      data: { 'auth.registrationMode': 'open' },
+    });
+    await admin.close();
+    await inviter.close();
+  }
+});

apps/web/e2e/settings-nav.spec.ts

@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ test('user settings show the jump nav and clicking scrolls + activates', async (
   await expect(nav).toBeVisible();
   const links = nav.locator('.settings-nav__link');
   // Profile, password, sessions, watches, API tokens, feed tokens, data export.
-  // 8 seit #170 (Bedienung), 9 seit #180 (Erscheinungsbild).
-  await expect(links).toHaveCount(9);
+  // 8 seit #170 (Bedienung), 9 seit #180 (Erscheinungsbild),
+  // 10 seit #332 (Einladungen).
+  await expect(links).toHaveCount(10);
 
   // Jump to the last section: it scrolls into view and becomes active.
   const last = links.last();

apps/web/src/i18n/index.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import deFiles from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/files.json';
 import deFont from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/font.json';
 import deGraph from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/graph.json';
 import deImport from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/import.json';
+import deInvitations from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/invitations.json';
 import deLabels from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/labels.json';
 import deLegal from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/legal.json';
 import deLinks from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/de/links.json';
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ import enFiles from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/files.json';
 import enFont from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/font.json';
 import enGraph from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/graph.json';
 import enImport from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/import.json';
+import enInvitations from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/invitations.json';
 import enLabels from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/labels.json';
 import enLegal from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/legal.json';
 import enLinks from '@dorfteich/shared/i18n/en/links.json';
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ void i18n
         font: enFont,
         graph: enGraph,
         import: enImport,
+        invitations: enInvitations,
         labels: enLabels,
         legal: enLegal,
         links: enLinks,
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ void i18n
         font: deFont,
         graph: deGraph,
         import: deImport,
+        invitations: deInvitations,
         labels: deLabels,
         legal: deLegal,
         links: deLinks,

apps/web/src/pages/AdminSettingsPage.tsx

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { UserManager } from './UserManager';
 import { useDocumentTitle } from '../lib/use-document-title';
 interface InstanceSettings {
   'auth.registrationMode': 'open' | 'closed';
+  'invitations.maxOpenPerUser': number;
   'instance.name': string;
   'instance.defaultLocale': 'de' | 'en';
   'quota.editorsPerPond': number;
@@ -94,6 +95,10 @@ export function AdminSettingsPage(): React.JSX.Element {
         <section className="settings-section">
           <h2>{t('settings:admin.general')}</h2>
           {(vsNfd.hides('auth.registrationMode', settings.data['auth.registrationMode']) ||
+            vsNfd.hides(
+              'invitations.maxOpenPerUser',
+              settings.data['invitations.maxOpenPerUser'],
+            ) ||
             vsNfd.hides(
               'classification.newPageDefault',
               settings.data['classification.newPageDefault'],
@@ -125,6 +130,25 @@ export function AdminSettingsPage(): React.JSX.Element {
                 <option value="closed">{t('settings:admin.registrationClosed')}</option>
               </select>
             </Field>
+            {!vsNfd.hides(
+              'invitations.maxOpenPerUser',
+              settings.data['invitations.maxOpenPerUser'],
+            ) && (
+              <Field
+                label={t('settings:admin.invitationsMaxOpen')}
+                hint={t('settings:admin.invitationsMaxOpenHelp')}
+                marking={vsNfd.markingFor(
+                  'invitations.maxOpenPerUser',
+                  form.watch('invitationsMaxOpenPerUser'),
+                )}
+              >
+                <input
+                  type="number"
+                  min={0}
+                  {...form.register('invitationsMaxOpenPerUser', { valueAsNumber: true })}
+                />
+              </Field>
+            )}
             <Field
               label={t('settings:admin.newPageClassification')}
               hint={t('settings:admin.newPageClassificationHelp')}

apps/web/src/pages/InvitationsSection.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+import type { InvitationListView } from '@dorfteich/shared';
+import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+
+import { Field, FormError } from '../components/forms';
+import { apiDelete, apiGet, apiPost } from '../lib/api';
+
+const INVITATIONS_QUERY_KEY = ['users', 'me', 'invitations'] as const;
+
+/**
+ * Peer invitations in the user settings (issue #332): invite an e-mail
+ * address, see your invitations with their status, revoke open ones. The
+ * quota line shows how many of the instance-wide per-user allowance are
+ * in use; with a quota of 0 the section explains that inviting is off.
+ */
+export function InvitationsSection(): React.JSX.Element {
+  const { t } = useTranslation('invitations');
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
+  const [sent, setSent] = useState(false);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<unknown>(null);
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+
+  const list = useQuery({
+    queryKey: INVITATIONS_QUERY_KEY,
+    queryFn: () => apiGet<InvitationListView>('/invitations'),
+  });
+
+  const submit = async (event: React.FormEvent): Promise<void> => {
+    event.preventDefault();
+    setError(null);
+    setSent(false);
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      await apiPost('/invitations', { email });
+      setEmail('');
+      setSent(true);
+      await queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: INVITATIONS_QUERY_KEY });
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err);
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const revoke = async (id: string): Promise<void> => {
+    setError(null);
+    await apiDelete(`/invitations/${id}`);
+    await queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: INVITATIONS_QUERY_KEY });
+  };
+
+  const data = list.data;
+  const disabled = data?.maxOpen === 0;
+
+  return (
+    <section className="settings-section invitations">
+      <h2>{t('section.title')}</h2>
+      {disabled ? (
+        <p>{t('section.disabled')}</p>
+      ) : (
+        <>
+          <p className="invitations__intro">{t('section.intro')}</p>
+          {data && (
+            <p className="invitations__quota">
+              {t('section.quota', { open: data.open, max: data.maxOpen })}
+            </p>
+          )}
+          <form onSubmit={(e) => void submit(e)} noValidate className="invitations__form">
+            <FormError error={error} />
+            {/* Scoped status region: a bare getByRole('status') must stay
+                unambiguous for other specs (lesson from #304/legal). */}
+            <p className="invitations__sent" role="status">
+              {sent ? t('form.sent') : ''}
+            </p>
+            <Field label={t('form.email')}>
+              <input
+                type="email"
+                value={email}
+                required
+                onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
+              />
+            </Field>
+            <button type="submit" className="button" disabled={busy || email.length === 0}>
+              {t('form.submit')}
+            </button>
+          </form>
+          {data && data.invitations.length === 0 && <p>{t('section.empty')}</p>}
+          {data && data.invitations.length > 0 && (
+            <div
+              className="table-scroll"
+              // A scroll container is only operable by keyboard once it is
+              // focusable; role+name keep it from being an unlabelled stop.
+              tabIndex={0}
+              role="region"
+              aria-label={t('section.title')}
+            >
+              <table className="table invitations__table">
+                <thead>
+                  <tr>
+                    <th>{t('columns.email')}</th>
+                    <th>{t('columns.status')}</th>
+                    <th>{t('columns.created')}</th>
+                    <th>{t('columns.expires')}</th>
+                    <th>{t('columns.actions')}</th>
+                  </tr>
+                </thead>
+                <tbody>
+                  {data.invitations.map((invitation) => (
+                    <tr
+                      key={invitation.id}
+                      className="invitation-row"
+                      data-email={invitation.email}
+                    >
+                      <td>{invitation.email}</td>
+                      <td className="invitation-row__status">{t(`status.${invitation.status}`)}</td>
+                      <td>{new Date(invitation.createdAt).toLocaleDateString()}</td>
+                      <td>{new Date(invitation.expiresAt).toLocaleDateString()}</td>
+                      <td>
+                        {invitation.status === 'pending' && (
+                          <button
+                            type="button"
+                            className="linklike invitation-row__revoke"
+                            onClick={() => void revoke(invitation.id)}
+                          >
+                            {t('actions.revoke')}
+                          </button>
+                        )}
+                      </td>
+                    </tr>
+                  ))}
+                </tbody>
+              </table>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </>
+      )}
+    </section>
+  );
+}

apps/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { SettingsLayout } from '../components/SettingsLayout';
 import { useDataExport } from '../export/use-data-export';
 import { apiDelete, apiGet, apiPatch, apiPost } from '../lib/api';
 import { ApiTokensSection } from '../api-tokens/ApiTokensSection';
+import { InvitationsSection } from './InvitationsSection';
 import { FeedTokensSection } from '../api-tokens/FeedTokensSection';
 import { WatchesSection } from '../watches/WatchesSection';
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ export function SettingsPage(): React.JSX.Element {
         <PasswordSection />
         <SessionsSection />
         <WatchesSection />
+        <InvitationsSection />
         <ApiTokensSection />
         <FeedTokensSection />
         <AppearanceSection />

apps/web/src/pages/admin-settings-form.test.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ describe('admin general settings form model (issue #322)', () => {
       'instance.name': 'My Wiki',
       'instance.defaultLocale': 'de',
       'auth.registrationMode': 'closed',
+      'invitations.maxOpenPerUser': 5,
       'classification.newPageDefault': 'unclassified',
       'classification.uploadPolicy': 'warn',
       'quota.editorsPerPond': 5,
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ describe('admin general settings form model (issue #322)', () => {
       instanceName: 'Renamed',
       defaultLocale: 'en',
       registrationMode: 'open',
+      invitationsMaxOpenPerUser: 5,
       newPageClassification: 'vs_nfd',
       uploadPolicy: 'block',
       quotaEditorsPerPond: 1,

apps/web/src/pages/admin-settings-form.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export const GENERAL_FORM_FIELDS = {
   instanceName: 'instance.name',
   defaultLocale: 'instance.defaultLocale',
   registrationMode: 'auth.registrationMode',
+  invitationsMaxOpenPerUser: 'invitations.maxOpenPerUser',
   newPageClassification: 'classification.newPageDefault',
   uploadPolicy: 'classification.uploadPolicy',
   quotaEditorsPerPond: 'quota.editorsPerPond',
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ export interface GeneralSettingsForm {
   instanceName: string;
   defaultLocale: 'de' | 'en';
   registrationMode: 'open' | 'closed';
+  invitationsMaxOpenPerUser: number;
   newPageClassification: 'unclassified' | 'vs_nfd';
   uploadPolicy: 'warn' | 'block';
   quotaEditorsPerPond: number;

apps/web/src/pages/auth/SignupPage.tsx

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import { zodResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/zod';
-import { SignupFormInput, signupInputSchema } from '@dorfteich/shared';
+import { InvitationPreview, SignupFormInput, signupInputSchema } from '@dorfteich/shared';
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
-import { useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { Resolver, useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { Link, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { Field, FormError, applyFieldErrors } from '../../components/forms';
 import { apiGet, apiPost } from '../../lib/api';
@@ -21,6 +21,19 @@ export function SignupPage(): React.JSX.Element {
     queryFn: () => apiGet<{ mode: 'open' | 'closed' }>('/auth/registration'),
   });
 
+  // An invitation link (issue #332) carries ?invitation=<token>: a valid
+  // one lets this signup through even while registration is closed.
+  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
+  const invitationToken = searchParams.get('invitation');
+  const invitation = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['invitation-preview', invitationToken],
+    queryFn: () => apiPost<InvitationPreview>('/invitations/preview', { token: invitationToken }),
+    enabled: Boolean(invitationToken),
+    retry: false,
+    staleTime: Infinity,
+  });
+  const invited = Boolean(invitationToken) && invitation.isSuccess;
+
   type SignupFormValues = SignupFormInput;
   // One confined cast: RHF cannot express Zod's input/output split
   // (locale is optional on input, defaulted on output) without it.
@@ -29,10 +42,22 @@ export function SignupPage(): React.JSX.Element {
     defaultValues: { locale: i18n.language === 'de' ? 'de' : 'en' },
   });
 
+  // Prefill the invited address; it stays editable (the mailbox is
+  // verified separately either way).
+  const setValue = form.setValue;
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (invitation.data) setValue('email', invitation.data.email);
+  }, [invitation.data, setValue]);
+
   const onSubmit = form.handleSubmit(async (input) => {
     setError(null);
     try {
-      await apiPost('/auth/signup', input);
+      // Only a previewed-valid token rides along; a broken link falls
+      // back to a plain signup instead of failing the whole form.
+      await apiPost('/auth/signup', {
+        ...input,
+        invitationToken: invited ? invitationToken : undefined,
+      });
       setRegistered(input.email);
     } catch (err) {
       setError(err);
@@ -42,10 +67,25 @@ export function SignupPage(): React.JSX.Element {
     }
   });
 
-  if (registration.data?.mode === 'closed') {
+  // With a pending invitation check, neither the closed screen nor the
+  // form should flash — hold the decision until the preview settles.
+  if (registration.data?.mode === 'closed' && invitationToken && invitation.isPending) {
     return (
       <div className="auth-card">
         <h1>{t('auth:signup.title')}</h1>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (registration.data?.mode === 'closed' && !invited) {
+    return (
+      <div className="auth-card">
+        <h1>{t('auth:signup.title')}</h1>
+        {invitationToken && invitation.isError && (
+          <p className="form-banner form-banner--error signup-invitation__invalid">
+            {t('invitations:signup.invalid')}
+          </p>
+        )}
         <p className="form-banner">{t('auth:signup.closed')}</p>
         <p className="auth-card__links">
           <Link to="/login">{t('auth:signup.loginLink')}</Link>
@@ -74,6 +114,19 @@ export function SignupPage(): React.JSX.Element {
     <div className="auth-card">
       <h1>{t('auth:signup.title')}</h1>
       <form onSubmit={onSubmit} noValidate>
+        {invited && invitation.data && (
+          <p className="form-banner signup-invitation__banner">
+            {t('invitations:signup.banner', {
+              inviterName: invitation.data.inviterName,
+              email: invitation.data.email,
+            })}
+          </p>
+        )}
+        {invitationToken && invitation.isError && (
+          <p className="form-banner form-banner--error signup-invitation__invalid">
+            {t('invitations:signup.invalid')}
+          </p>
+        )}
         <FormError error={error} />
         <Field
           label={t('auth:signup.username')}

docs/architecture/audit-events.md

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Audit event catalogue
 
-**Catalogue version 1.9 (2026-08-05; 1.9 adds `user.created_by_admin`,
+**Catalogue version 1.10 (2026-08-05; 1.10 adds `invitation.created`,
+`invitation.revoked` and `invitation.accepted`, issue #332;
+1.9 added `user.created_by_admin`,
 issue #331; 1.8 added `pond.archived`,
 issue #305; 1.7 added `branding.changed`,
 issue #306; 1.6 added `font.uploaded` and
@@ -78,6 +80,14 @@ failure), `warning` = feeds detection (suspicious or destructive),
 | `auth.identity_linked` | OIDC identity linked to an existing account via the explicit link flow (issue #214)       | notice   | the linking user                     | —      | `provider`                            |
 | `auth.proxy_rejected`  | Proxy-auth header received from a peer outside the allowlist — spoof attempt (issue #215) | warning  | `null` (unauthenticated)             | —      | `peer`, `header`                      |
 
+### Invitations (`invitation.*`, issue #332)
+
+| Id                    | Trigger                                                          | Severity | Actor             | Target       | Fields |
+| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ----------------- | ------------ | ------ |
+| `invitation.created`  | User invites an e-mail address (mail with signup link sent)      | info     | the inviting user | `invitation` | —      |
+| `invitation.revoked`  | Open invitation withdrawn by its creator                         | info     | the inviting user | `invitation` | —      |
+| `invitation.accepted` | Signup completed through an invitation link (closed-mode bypass) | notice   | the new user      | `invitation` | —      |
+
 ### Access & membership (`grant.*`, `member.*`)
 
 | Id                    | Trigger                     | Severity | Actor         | Target | Fields                                                                  |

docs/vs-nfd/50-haertungsleitfaden.md

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Settings-Cache ist in-process (operations.md).
 | Setting                                                                                                     | Referenzwert                            | Default        | Warum                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `auth.registrationMode`                                                                                     | `closed`                                | `open`         | Konten entstehen in einer VS-Umgebung nur kontrolliert; Selbstregistrierung öffnet den Nutzerkreis unkontrolliert.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
+| `invitations.maxOpenPerUser`                                                                                | `0`                                     | `5`            | **explizit setzen** — Einladungen (#332) öffnen einen kontrollierten Registrierungsweg an `auth.registrationMode=closed` vorbei; in der Referenzkonfiguration bleibt der Nutzerkreis allein Sache des Betreibers (Konten legt der Site-Admin an, #331). `0` schaltet das Einladen ab (403 `invitations_disabled`).                                                                                                         |
 | `api.enabled`                                                                                               | `false`                                 | `false`        | Public REST API ist ein zusätzlicher Egress-Kanal; ohne dokumentierten Bedarf bleibt er zu (404 auf allen `/api/public/v1`-Routen).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
 | `mcp.enabled`                                                                                               | `false`                                 | `false`        | gleiches Argument für den MCP-Endpoint (`/api/mcp`); unabhängiger Schalter.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
 | `feeds.enabled`                                                                                             | `false`                                 | `true`         | **explizit setzen** — Atom-Feeds liefern Inhalte an Reader außerhalb der Kontrolle der Instanz (Feed-Token umgehen die Session); Kopien in Feed-Readern sind nicht einholbar (Kopienliste, Sicherheitsdokumentation §5). Schaltet Routen UND Feed-Token-Verwaltung auf 404.                                                                                                                                                |

packages/shared/i18n/de/errors.json

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
   "rate_limited": "Zu viele Anfragen — bitte versuche es später erneut.",
   "internal_error": "Interner Serverfehler.",
   "registration_closed": "Die Registrierung ist auf dieser Instanz derzeit geschlossen.",
+  "invitations_disabled": "Einladungen sind auf dieser Instanz deaktiviert.",
+  "invitation_quota_reached": "Du hast die Höchstzahl offener Einladungen erreicht. Widerrufe eine offene Einladung oder warte, bis eine angenommen wurde oder abgelaufen ist.",
+  "invitation_already_accepted": "Diese Einladung wurde bereits angenommen und kann nicht mehr widerrufen werden.",
   "token_invalid": "Dieser Link ist ungültig oder abgelaufen.",
   "login_failed": "Benutzername/E-Mail oder Passwort ist falsch.",
   "login_backoff": "Zu viele Fehlversuche — bitte warte ein paar Minuten.",

packages/shared/i18n/de/invitations.json

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{
+  "section": {
+    "title": "Einladungen",
+    "intro": "Lade Personen per E-Mail ein. Der Link erlaubt genau eine Registrierung — auch wenn die Selbst-Registrierung geschlossen ist — und ist 14 Tage gültig.",
+    "quota": "{{open}} von {{max}} offenen Einladungen belegt.",
+    "disabled": "Einladungen sind auf dieser Instanz deaktiviert.",
+    "empty": "Noch keine Einladungen."
+  },
+  "form": {
+    "email": "E-Mail-Adresse",
+    "submit": "Einladen",
+    "sent": "Einladung verschickt."
+  },
+  "columns": {
+    "email": "E-Mail",
+    "status": "Status",
+    "created": "Eingeladen am",
+    "expires": "Gültig bis",
+    "actions": "Aktionen"
+  },
+  "status": {
+    "pending": "Offen",
+    "accepted": "Angenommen",
+    "revoked": "Widerrufen",
+    "expired": "Abgelaufen"
+  },
+  "actions": {
+    "revoke": "Widerrufen"
+  },
+  "signup": {
+    "banner": "{{inviterName}} lädt dich ein ({{email}}). Mit dieser Einladung kannst du dir jetzt ein Konto anlegen.",
+    "invalid": "Dieser Einladungslink ist ungültig, abgelaufen oder wurde bereits verwendet."
+  }
+}

packages/shared/i18n/de/mails.json

@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
     "action": "Neues Passwort setzen",
     "expiry": "Der Link ist eine Stunde gültig. Dein aktuelles Passwort bleibt gültig, bis du ein neues gesetzt hast."
   },
+  "invitation": {
+    "subject": "Du bist eingeladen: Dorfteich",
+    "body": "{{inviterName}} lädt dich zu einem Dorfteich ein — einem gemeinsamen Ort für Seiten und Notizen. Über diesen Link kannst du dir ein Konto anlegen:",
+    "action": "Einladung annehmen",
+    "expiry": "Der Link ist 14 Tage gültig und kann nur einmal verwendet werden."
+  },
   "smtpTest": {
     "subject": "SMTP-Testnachricht",
     "body": "diese Testnachricht bestätigt, dass dein Dorfteich E-Mails über den konfigurierten SMTP-Server versenden kann. Deine Instanz erreichst du hier:",

packages/shared/i18n/en/errors.json

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
   "rate_limited": "Too many requests — please try again later.",
   "internal_error": "Internal server error.",
   "registration_closed": "Registration is currently closed on this instance.",
+  "invitations_disabled": "Invitations are disabled on this instance.",
+  "invitation_quota_reached": "You have reached the maximum number of open invitations. Revoke an open invitation or wait until one is accepted or expires.",
+  "invitation_already_accepted": "This invitation has already been accepted and can no longer be revoked.",
   "token_invalid": "This link is invalid or has expired.",
   "login_failed": "Username/e-mail or password is incorrect.",
   "login_backoff": "Too many failed attempts — please wait a few minutes.",

packages/shared/i18n/en/invitations.json

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{
+  "section": {
+    "title": "Invitations",
+    "intro": "Invite people by e-mail. The link allows exactly one registration — even while self-registration is closed — and is valid for 14 days.",
+    "quota": "{{open}} of {{max}} open invitations used.",
+    "disabled": "Invitations are disabled on this instance.",
+    "empty": "No invitations yet."
+  },
+  "form": {
+    "email": "E-mail address",
+    "submit": "Invite",
+    "sent": "Invitation sent."
+  },
+  "columns": {
+    "email": "E-mail",
+    "status": "Status",
+    "created": "Invited on",
+    "expires": "Valid until",
+    "actions": "Actions"
+  },
+  "status": {
+    "pending": "Open",
+    "accepted": "Accepted",
+    "revoked": "Revoked",
+    "expired": "Expired"
+  },
+  "actions": {
+    "revoke": "Revoke"
+  },
+  "signup": {
+    "banner": "{{inviterName}} invites you ({{email}}). With this invitation you can create an account now.",
+    "invalid": "This invitation link is invalid, expired, or has already been used."
+  }
+}

packages/shared/i18n/en/mails.json

@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
     "action": "Set new password",
     "expiry": "The link is valid for one hour. Your current password stays valid until you set a new one."
   },
+  "invitation": {
+    "subject": "You are invited: Dorfteich",
+    "body": "{{inviterName}} invites you to a Dorfteich - a shared place for pages and notes. Use this link to create your account:",
+    "action": "Accept invitation",
+    "expiry": "The link is valid for 14 days and can only be used once."
+  },
   "smtpTest": {
     "subject": "SMTP test message",
     "body": "this test message confirms that your Dorfteich can send e-mail through the configured SMTP server. You can reach your instance here:",

packages/shared/src/auth.ts

@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ export const signupInputSchema = z.object({
   displayName: z.string().trim().min(1, 'validation.displayName.required').max(80),
   password: passwordSchema,
   locale: z.enum(['de', 'en']).default('en'),
+  /** Invitation token (issue #332): lets this one signup through even
+   * while registration is closed. */
+  invitationToken: z.string().min(16).max(256).optional(),
 });
 export type SignupInput = z.infer<typeof signupInputSchema>;
 /** Form-side type: locale is optional before Zod applies its default. */

packages/shared/src/index.ts

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export * from './fonts';
 export * from './health';
 export * from './home';
 export * from './i18n-tools';
+export * from './invitations';
 export * from './labels';
 export * from './legal';
 export * from './links';

packages/shared/src/invitations.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { z } from 'zod';
+
+/**
+ * Peer invitations (issue #332): a user invites an e-mail address; the
+ * mailed token allows exactly one registration even while registration
+ * is closed. A per-user quota on OPEN (pending, unexpired) invitations —
+ * the instance setting `invitations.maxOpenPerUser`, default 5, 0 turns
+ * the feature off — keeps the feature from becoming a spam channel.
+ */
+
+export type InvitationStatus = 'pending' | 'accepted' | 'revoked' | 'expired';
+
+export interface InvitationView {
+  id: string;
+  email: string;
+  status: InvitationStatus;
+  createdAt: string;
+  expiresAt: string;
+}
+
+export interface InvitationListView {
+  invitations: InvitationView[];
+  /** Open (pending, unexpired) invitations counted against the quota. */
+  open: number;
+  /** The instance-wide per-user quota; 0 = inviting disabled. */
+  maxOpen: number;
+}
+
+export const createInvitationSchema = z.object({
+  email: z.string().email('validation.email.invalid').max(254),
+});
+export type CreateInvitationInput = z.infer<typeof createInvitationSchema>;
+
+export const invitationPreviewSchema = z.object({ token: z.string().min(16).max(256) });
+
+/** What the signup screen shows about an invitation link before use. */
+export interface InvitationPreview {
+  email: string;
+  inviterName: string;
+}

packages/shared/src/vs-nfd-profile.ts

@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ export const VS_NFD_PROFILE: readonly VsNfdProfileEntry[] = [
     compliance: { kind: 'equals', value: 'closed' },
     hardeningRef: '1.1',
   },
+  {
+    scope: 'instance',
+    // Invitations (issue #332) open a controlled signup path even while
+    // registration is closed — in the reference profile they stay off.
+    key: 'invitations.maxOpenPerUser',
+    compliance: { kind: 'maxNumber', value: 0 },
+    hardeningRef: '1.1',
+  },
   {
     scope: 'instance',
     key: 'api.enabled',