did:webvh

type

DID Method

Specification

identity.foundation

Contact Name

Stephen Curran, John Jordan, Andrew Whitehead, Brian Richter, Michel Sahli, Martina Kolpondinos, Dmitri Zagidulin

Contact Website

didwebvh.info

Info

Name, Specification URL, Contact name and some relations are sourced from diddirectory.com. If you maintain this or any other didmethod, we encourage you to visit diddirectory and submit or update your data there if its not up to date!

Description −

did:webvh is a DID method that enhances the did:web method by adding verifiable history and advanced security features while maintaining compatibility with web infrastructure. It combines the simplicity of did:web with cryptographic verifiability similar to ledger-based DIDs, but without requiring a blockchain.

Key features include:

Self-Certifying Identifiers (SCIDs) for tamper-evident DID creation
Verifiable History through cryptographically linked log entries
Key Pre-rotation capabilities for enhanced security
Witness Support for collaborative verification
DID Portability options while maintaining history
WHOIS-like Registry functionality through /whois endpoint

The method uses standard web protocols and HTTPS for resolution, transforming DIDs into web URLs following similar patterns to did:web. Each DID maintains a complete, verifiable history through a JSON Lines log file containing all updates and changes.

Technical Architecture:

DID Generation and Structure:

Format: did:webvh:<SCID>:<domain>[:<path>]
SCID is derived from initial DID content
Uses base58btc encoding for identifiers
Transforms to standard HTTPS URLs for resolution

Resolution Process:

Converts DID to HTTPS URL
Retrieves did.jsonl log file
Verifies each entry's cryptographic chain
Processes witness proofs if enabled
Returns requested DID document version

Security Features:

Data Integrity proofs for all updates
Authorized Keys management
Optional Pre-rotation key mechanism
Witness verification support
TLS/SSL required for transport

Technology Stack:

HTTP/HTTPS for transport
JSON Lines for log storage
JCS for canonicalization
Multihash for flexible hashing
Data Integrity for proofs

Unique Innovations:

Verifiable History without blockchain
WHOIS-like decentralized registry
Portable DIDs with history preservation
Witness Collaboration framework
Parallel did:web publication support

The method is particularly suited for organizations requiring strong audit trails and verifiable history while leveraging existing web infrastructure.