Decentralized identifiers (DIDs)

[hadleybeeman]

This came up at TPAC in Burlingame, with the Verifiable Claims working group. Tim thought we should have a look at it.

The spec has been produced by the Credentials Community Group.

Spec: https://w3c-ccg.github.io/did-spec/

[tantek]

How do DIDs relate to (differ from?) other such distributed identifier attempts like DOI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier or Handle System based identifiers in general? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handle_System

[cynthia]

How do DIDs relate to (differ from?) other such distributed identifier attempts like DOI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier or Handle System based identifiers in general?

Moar blockchain.

[dmitrizagidulin]

DIDs differ from earlier attempts like DOI in a couple of respects:

• Simplicity of representation (DIDs must resolve, and to fairly simple JSON objects)
• Emphasis on crypto public key material -- the /main/ purpose of DIDs is less to provide a permanent URN (though they do that too), but more to contain public key material (which can be used for authentication and proof of possession).

[dmitrizagidulin]

DIDs also serve as a unified URN scheme to be able to address into an arbitrary number of blockchains and other non-traditional-http sort of resources.

[torgo]

Discussed at London f2f. @hadleybeeman to write something.

[msporny]

Just got linked to this item... DID Spec isn't ready for review just yet. I thought we'd raise this w/ the TAG when the spec was ready (we're finalizing the CG version of the spec over the next month or two).

Here's a Primer on DIDs (that should answer some of @tantek's questions):

https://github.com/WebOfTrustInfo/rebooting-the-web-of-trust-spring2018/blob/master/topics-and-advance-readings/did-primer.md

There are 4 implementations of the spec in progress (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Sovrin, and Veres One). More information on Veres One here that gives more background on why these networks are being created:

Primer on Veres One:
https://github.com/WebOfTrustInfo/rebooting-the-web-of-trust-spring2018/blob/master/topics-and-advance-readings/veres-one-primer.md

Primer on Veres One DID Method:
https://github.com/WebOfTrustInfo/rebooting-the-web-of-trust-spring2018/blob/master/topics-and-advance-readings/veres-one-did-method.md

Background on Sovrin:
https://sovrin.org/technology/

Background on uPort (Ethereum implementation):
https://medium.com/uport/what-is-a-uport-identity-b790b065809c

[hadleybeeman]

Hi all. We've just caught up with this at our face-to-face in Seattle. We'll close the issue since you've said you're not ready, @msporny. Let us know if/when that changes.

[msporny]

Will do, thanks @hadleybeeman ...