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Introduction to W3C DID

What are DIDs?​

Decentralized identifiers (DID) are unique and persistent identifiers that do not rely on any single centralized or deferated registration authority. They can refer to any subject (person, organization, thing, etc).

What is their role / how are they being used?​

From the W3C DID Core Recommendation: DIDs are URIs that associate a DID subject with a DID document allowing trustable interactions associated with that subject. Each DID document can express cryptographic material, verification methods, or services, which provide a set of mechanisms enabling a DID controller to prove control of the DID. Services enable trusted interactions associated with the DID subject.

A simple example​

A DID is a simple text string consisting of three parts:

  1. the did URI scheme identifier
  2. the identifier for the DID method
  3. the DID method-specific identifier.

decentralized identifier example