Comprehensive Explanation

identity

Definition

In the KERI/ACDC ecosystem, identity refers to a unique entity that can be distinguished from all other entities through a collection of attributes or identity data. Identity is fundamentally relational and context-dependent - the same entity may have different identity representations maintained by different parties, each valid within their respective contexts.

Key characteristics:

• Uniqueness: An identity must be distinguishable from all other identities within its scope of identification
• Representation: Typically expressed through identifiers, though identifiers are not strictly required
• Contextual: Identity is always relative to a specific context or trust domain
• Distributed: Different parties may maintain different identity data for the same entity

Context in KERI/ACDC

KERI provides a cryptographic foundation for identity through Autonomic Identifiers (AIDs), which serve as self-certifying, self-managing identifiers that can represent identities without requiring centralized authorities. The KERI approach recognizes that:

Identity vs. Identifier Distinction: While identifiers are commonly used to represent identities, KERI's architecture separates the concept of identity (the entity itself) from the identifier (the reference to that entity). An provides cryptographic proof of control authority over an identifier, but the identity encompasses more than just the identifier - it includes the entity's , relationships, and contextual information.