W3C Invites Implementations of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0

The Decentralized Identifier Working Group invites implementations of a Candidate Recommendation of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0.

This document defines Decentralized identifiers (DIDs), a new type of identifier that enables verifiable, decentralized digital identity. A DID identifies any subject (e.g., a person, organization, thing, data model, abstract entity, etc.) that the controller of the DID decides that it identifies. In contrast to typical, federated identifiers, DIDs have been designed so that they may be decoupled from centralized registries, identity providers, and certificate authorities. 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.

The Working Group has also published a separate Use Cases and Requirement document that provides some background for the usage of this technology.

Candidate Recommendation means that the Working Group considers the technical design to be complete, and is seeking implementation feedback on the document. The group is keen to get comments and implementation experiences on this specification as issues raised in the documents’ Github repository.

The group expects to satisfy the implementation goals (i.e., at least two, independent implementations for each of the test cases) by 18 April 2021.