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1---
2link: https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/
3tags:
4 - W3C
5 - DID
6 - specification
7 - article
8published: 2022-07-19
9author:
10 - Manu Sporny
11 - Dave Longley
12 - Markus Sabadello
13 - Drummond Reed
14 - Orie Steele
15 - Christopher Allen
16---
17Decentralized Identifiers
18
19A globally unique persistent identifier that does not require a centralized registration authority and is often generated and/or registered cryptographically.
20
21W3C Recommendation 19 July 2022
22## Abstract
23
24Decentralized identifiers (DIDs)[^did] are a new type of identifier that enables verifiable, decentralized digital identity. A DID refers to any subject (e.g., a person, organization, thing, data model, abstract entity, etc.) as determined by the controller of the DID. In contrast to typical, federated identifiers, DIDs have been designed so that they may be decoupled from centralized registries, identity providers, and certificate authorities. Specifically, while other parties might be used to help enable the discovery of information related to a [DID](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-decentralized-identifiers), the design enables the controller of a DID to prove control over it without requiring permission from any other party. DIDs are [URIs](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-uri) that associate a [DID subject](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-subjects) with a [DID document](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-documents) allowing trustable interactions associated with that subject.
25
26Each [DID document](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-documents) can express cryptographic material, [verification methods](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-verification-method), or [services](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-service), which provide a set of mechanisms enabling a [DID controller](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-controllers) to prove control of the DID. [Services](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-service) enable trusted interactions associated with the [DID subject](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-subjects). A DID might provide the means to return the [DID subject](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-subjects) itself, if the [DID subject](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-subjects) is an information resource such as a data model.
27
28This document specifies the DID syntax, a common data model, core properties, serialized representations, DID operations, and an explanation of the process of resolving DIDs to the resources that they represent.
29## Related Documents
30
31* [DID Use Cases and Requirements](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-use-cases/)
32* [DID Specification Registries](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-spec-registries/)
33* [DID Core Implementation Report](https://w3c.github.io/did-test-suite/)
34
35[^did]: A globally unique persistent identifier that does not require a centralized registration authority and is often generated and/or registered cryptographically. The generic format of a DID is defined in [3.1 DID Syntax](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#did-syntax). A specific [DID scheme](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-schemes) is defined in a [DID method](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-did-methods) specification. Many—but not all—DID methods make use of [distributed ledger technology](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-1.0/#dfn-distributed-ledger-technology) (DLT) or some other form of decentralized network.