Digital Identity
Key Glossary Terms
Essential vocabulary for this topic
Credential Holder
intermediateA person or system that stores and presents verifiable credentials.
Credential Issuer
intermediateAn entity that creates and cryptographically signs a verifiable credential containing claims about a subject.
Credential Verifier
intermediateA party that checks a verifiable credential's signature, status, issuer, and claims.
DID Document
advancedA data document associated with a decentralized identifier containing verification methods and service endpoints.
DID Method
advancedA specification defining how decentralized identifiers of a particular method are created, resolved, updated, and deactivated.
Decentralized Identifier
intermediateA standards-based identifier designed to enable verifiable decentralized identity without requiring one central identity provider.
Research Papers
Academic and industry research
Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0
Drummond Reed, Manu Sporny, Dave Longley, Christopher Allen, Ryan Grant, Markus Sabadello
This W3C recommendation specifies the Decentralized Identifier (DID) data model, a new type of identifier that enables verifiable, decentralized digital identity. Unlike traditional identifiers (e.g., email addresses or usernames) that rely on centralized registries, DIDs are designed to be controlled by the DID subject—the entity the identifier refers to—without the need for a central authority. The standard defines a URI-based structure that links to a DID Document, which contains cryptographic material, authentication suites, and service endpoints necessary to interact with the identity. This framework allows for self-sovereign identity (SSI), where individuals and organizations can generate and manage their own persistent identifiers on any distributed ledger or decentralized network. The DID specification is foundational for the Web3 identity layer, enabling secure authentication, data integrity, and verifiable claims. By abstracting the registry layer, DIDs provide a universal method for identity resolution that is platform-agnostic, supporting a more private and user-centric approach to digital interactions.
Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.0
Manu Sporny, Dave Longley, Dan Burnett
The Verifiable Credentials (VC) Data Model 1.0, published by the W3C, provides a standardized format for expressing and sharing credentials on the web in a cryptographically secure, privacy-preserving manner. A verifiable credential is a digital representation of a physical credential—such as a driver's license, degree, or membership card—that can be presented by a holder to a verifier, who can then confirm the credential's authenticity and integrity without contacting the original issuer. This is achieved through the use of digital signatures and standardized linked data formats. The model empowers users with 'digital wallets' to collect, curate, and share proofs of their claims selectively, minimizing the exposure of unnecessary personal information. By decoupling the issuance, holding, and verification processes, the VC data model creates a interoperable ecosystem for trustworthy digital interactions. This standard is critical for the development of secure identity layers in blockchain and Web3 environments, as it allows for the verification of attributes while respecting the privacy and data sovereignty of the individual.