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DIDs

This lesson is an overview of DIDs.

Learning objectives

  • Identity Ownership: Understand the differences in data ownership between decentralized and non-decentralized identities.

Content


Script

Expand for the full script

0:00
DIDs, or decentralized identifiers, provide a way to identify users or organizations in a decentralized way. DIDs can be used as account identifiers.

0:20 For example, someone using a specific service would create a DID associated with that service that they control. They could use this DID to authorize access to the service, and manage assets the service may provide and permissions it may request.

0:40 In non-decentralized environments, the account information is controlled and owned by the service provider. With decentralized identities, the identity and the data associated with it, are controlled and owned by the user. This allows the user to use the DID with many different services and in many different contexts, and control the information associated with it.


Common gotchas

  • DIDs are NFTs: DIDs are actually a special type of NFT. This ensures uniqueness and that only one entitiy has control of any one DID.
  • DID limits: A user can generate many DIDs and associate each one with different services or assets.

Knowledge check

Question 1 - DID issuance

True or False; A DID is issued by a service provider to identify a user.

Answer (expand when ready to see the answer)

False. The DID is created by the user, and associated with a service provider. This allows the user to use one DID for many different services.

Question 2 - DID limits

How many DIDs can a user have?

Answer (expand when ready to see the answer)

There is no practical limit to the number of DIDs a user can create.


Additional resources

  • More about primitives: guides for each primitive, and how to use them.
  • In depth DID guide: how to create a DID.
  • Chialisp detailed documentation: detailed information on all aspects of chialisp.
  • Support in discord: for further support join our discord server and ask in the #chialisp or #support channels.