Glossary
Atoms
Atoms are the smallest, indivisible units of information within the SELF® app. Each Atom represents a single, self-contained piece of data—such as a date, number, or text. They serve as the foundational building blocks for Molecules, enabling a structured and modular approach to managing data.
Example: A street address is an Atom that can be combined with other Atoms, such as city and postal code, to create a comprehensive Address Molecule.
Attestation
An Attestation is the process of verifying and confirming information within the SELF® app, either about your own Identity or someone else’s Identity. Attestations enable the creation of Molecules that can be added to a Digital Genome™. There are two types of attestations:
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Self-Attestations
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Verifying information about yourself to create a Molecule for your own Digital Genome™.
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Example: Adding your date of birth or address as a self-attested credential.
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Attesting to Others
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Verifying and claiming information about someone else to create a Molecule they can add to their Digital Genome™.
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Example: Confirming someone’s employment status or membership in an organization.
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Attester
An entity that issues verifiable credentials. They certify the authenticity of a claim or attribute about an individual or organization. Attesters can be government agencies, educational institutions, or private organizations.
Challenge
A Challenge is a secure request from one Identity to another, asking for specific Molecules to be shared. Each Challenge is uniquely identified by its own DID and defines the specific credentials being requested. It establishes a secure communication channel for credential sharing and serves as the fundamental structure for managing credential requests.
Key Features of a Challenge:
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Templates:
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A Challenge can specify one or more templates by their DID to define the criteria for valid Molecules to respond to the request.
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Templates ensure that only Molecules meeting the specified structure or content are accepted as responses.
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Attestor Requirements:
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A Challenge can specify required attestors by their DID, ensuring that only Molecules verified by these attestors are accepted.
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This allows requesters to filter Molecules based on the credibility of their sources.
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By using Challenges, the SELF® app ensures a secure, structured, and selective method for credential sharing between Identities.
Decentralized Identifier (DID)
Decentralized Identifiers are unique digital addresses used to identify various elements within the SELF® app. DIDs operate independently of centralized authorities, ensuring privacy, security, and user control. They enable unique identification, verification of ownership, and secure communication across the ecosystem.
DIDs are an open standard maintained by the W3C, promoting interoperability and widespread adoption. Learn more about DIDs [here](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-core/.
In the SELF® app, DIDs can be assigned to:
DID Document
A DID Document is a structured representation of data associated with a specific DID. Every object in the system is associated with a unique DID Document that stores information relevant to that object's type. The content of a DID Document varies depending on the object it represents. For example:
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For an Identity:
The DID Document contains essential public information about the identity, such as the public key and other verification methods required for secure interactions and authentication.
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For a Molecule:
The DID Document contains arbitrary data specific to the molecule, such as date of birth, issued date, or any other attribute related to the credential.
DID Manifest
A DID Manifest is a specialized component contained within the DID Document of an Identity. It functions as a public profile, enabling the owner of the DID Document (the identity holder) to manage the Molecules (verifiable credentials) associated with their identity.
The DID Manifest supports displaying Molecules in two forms:
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Published Molecules: Publishing exposes only the molecule metadata (e.g., the DID of the attestor’s Identity) without revealing the actual data contained within the molecule.
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Revealed Molecules: Revealing exposes the complete molecule, including all metadata and the actual data fields (e.g., date of birth, address, etc.).
The DID Manifest empowers the owner to selectively disclose molecules to the rest of the network, maintaining control over what information is shared and to what extent.
Digital Genome™
Every Identity in the SELF® app has its own Digital Genome™ — a private, secure collection of Molecules (verifiable credentials) owned and controlled by that Identity. The Digital Genome™ offers a structured, intuitive way to view, manage, and organize the information associated with an Identity.
All Molecules belonging to an Identity are grouped together within the Digital Genome™, creating a comprehensive and user-controlled repository of verifiable credentials.
Holder
An individual or organization that possesses a verifiable credential (Molecule). They can present the credential to verifiers to prove their identity or eligibility for certain services. Holders have control over their credentials and can choose to share them selectively with trusted parties.
Identity
In the SELF ecosystem, an Identity serves as a flexible profile that can represent a wide range of entities, such as an individual, a group, or even a device. Users can create multiple Identities tailored to different use cases, enabling Identity owners to control how they present themselves in various contexts. Each Identity comes with its own Digital Genome™ and a unique DID, ensuring secure, independent management.
Every Identity in the SELF ecosystem comes with the following key features:
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Unique DID: Each Identity is assigned a unique DID.
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DID Document: Every Identity controls a DID Document, which includes:
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Owner Information: Identifies the owner of the DID.
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Public Key: Used for cryptographic verification.
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Verification Methods: Defines how the DID can be authenticated.
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DID Manifest: Acts as a public profile, allowing the Identity to publish or selectively reveal information.
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Multiple Roles: An Identity can perform various roles within the ecosystem:
Molecule
Molecules are Verifiable Credentials (VCs) — the fundamental building blocks of digital trust, much like molecules are the building blocks of matter. A Molecule is a tamper-evident package of information, composed of Atoms (individual data fields), that can be instantly verified. It functions as a digital counterpart to a physical credential.
Molecules offer flexibility by allowing selective sharing of specific Atoms or groups of Atoms, enabling users to meet different use cases without disclosing unnecessary information from an identity or Molecule. Each Molecule is associated with its own DID and contains cryptographically secured claims a about an identity. This ensures the highest levels of privacy, security, and trust.
Recovery Phrase
A 12-word sequence generated by the application to securely back up your wallet. This phrase serves as a critical safeguard, allowing you to recover access to your wallet in case of device loss, damage, or other unforeseen circumstances.
In addition to the recovery phrase, users must create a wallet backup that is encrypted and stored on the network.
It is essential to store this phrase securely and offline, preferably written down on a piece of paper and kept in a safe location.
Response
A Response is how Identities share their Molecules, typically as an answer to a Challenge. Each Response is uniquely identified by its own DID and securely packages the Molecules specified in the Challenge.
Key Features of a Response:
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Selective Disclosure:
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Responses preserve privacy by sharing only the information necessary to fulfill the Challenge requirements.
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Unnecessary data or Molecules remain undisclosed, ensuring control over sensitive information.
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Secure Sharing:
- The Response is cryptographically secured, maintaining trust and integrity during the credential-sharing process.
Responses play a critical role in enabling secure, private, and precise exchanges of information between Identities within the decentralized ecosystem.
SELF®
SELF is your identity wallet that contains and gives you full control over your Identities and Molecules. It is secured through the your private key, ensuring unparalleled privacy and security.
With your SELF, you can create, manage, and interact with multiple identities, seamlessly organize your Molecules, and selectively share information in a way that prioritizes your autonomy.
SELF® App
The SELF® App is a self-custodial identity wallet that empowers users to securely control and manage their digital identities and data, enabling interactions with other identities in the network while prioritizing privacy and autonomy, and usability.
Sign in with Your SELF™
SIWYS (Sign In With Your Self™) is a decentralized, passwordless authentication solution that offers secure, private, and user-controlled access. It eliminates password vulnerabilities and the risks of centralization, providing a safer and more user-friendly alternative to traditional methods. Additionally, it allows users to share specific data during authentication, enabling personalized and seamless interactions.
Template
A Template serves as the blueprint for creating Molecules. It is essentially a blank Molecule, defining the structure, rules, and metadata needed to populate a complete Molecule. Templates ensure consistency and clarity in credential issuance by specifying the following:
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Metadata:
- Includes key information about the credential, such as its title, description, and purpose.
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Fields:
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Lists all fields to be populated in the Molecule, such as data attributes (e.g., name, date of birth, etc.).
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Specifies which fields are required versus optional, ensuring flexibility while maintaining essential data integrity.
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Sensitivity:
- Indicates the general sensitivity level of the data, helping to guide secure handling and sharing practices.
Templates provide a consistent, standardized approach to issuing credentials while allowing for customization to meet specific use cases.
Verifier
An entity that checks the validity of a verifiable credential (Molecule). They verify the authenticity of the credential and the claims it contains. Verifiers can be employers, service providers, or other entities that require proof of identity or qualifications.