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This article introduces the relevant knowledge of "what is Block chain identity Protocol Sidetree". In the operation of actual cases, many people will encounter such a dilemma, so let the editor lead you to learn how to deal with these situations. I hope you can read it carefully and be able to achieve something!

Identity (Identity) management is the core element of blockchain applications. In an untrusted and anonymous distributed computing ecology, it is not easy to realize decentralized identity management. Sidetree is a layer 2 (L2s) protocol based on the existing blockchain platform, which is dedicated to decentralized identity management. Microsoft's latest open source ION project is an implementation of the Sidetree protocol based on bitcoin blockchain.

1. The core elements of decentralized identity management

The challenge of decentralized identity management is not a single module. In decentralized applications (DApp), there are some key factors to consider in the lifecycle of an identity:

Representation: a transferable representation used to describe the identity of a subject

Persistence: a mechanism for storing and extracting subject identity while maintaining its privacy

Privacy: a Model for protecting subject identity in decentralized accounts

Assertion: a specific statement that determines the identity of a subject

Parsing: a mechanism for parsing and verifying the identity of a specific subject

2. The origin of Sidetree protocol.

In 2017, some members of the decentralized identity Organization (DIF) began to discuss how to implement decentralized identity systems at the global level. For most decentralized identity systems, the lowest layer is the blockchain / ledger, known as layer 1 or L1, to support decentralized public key systems (Decentralized Public Key Infrastructure) and W3C decentralized identities (DIDs:Decentralized Identifiers) in some form.

The scalability of blockchain is not a small problem, but there is already a promising idea to solve the scalability problem of systems based on blockchain: layer 2 protocol or L2s, such as state channel, side chain and bitcoin lightning network. L2s achieves scalability through deterministic (Deterministic) processing and transaction schemes, which are done outside the blockchain and require very little consensus processing when interacting with the underlying blockchain.

To achieve decentralized identity management, we need a large-scale running system with some core features, such as deterministic state resolution and differential persistence. In the past 18 months, the exchange of ideas among IDF members has finally formed a complete layer 2 agreement: Sidetree.

3. Overview of Sidetree protocol

The Sidetree protocol itself is not a decentralized identity (DID) method, but consists of a set of code-level components, including deterministic processing logic, content addressing storage abstraction, and state verification processes on decentralized books (for example, public chains) that can be deployed to layer 1, thereby achieving an unlicensed layer 2 DID network. By using specific chain-related adapters, the Sidetree protocol can be used to create different layer 2 decentralized identity networks on different chains, and these chain-specific adapters are responsible for reading and writing to the underlying block chain.

No matter which block chain is used in the underlying layer, almost all the implementation codes of the Sidetree protocol are consistent, which makes it suitable for a variety of blockchain platforms. The following is the overall structure of the Sidetree system, with Bitcoin as the target blockchain, but as mentioned earlier, this also applies to other blockchains:

The Sidetree protocol is implemented based on a set of modular components, the most important of which are:

Sidetree kernel / Sidetree Core: the Sidetree kernel is the primary logic module that listens for transaction input from the underlying blockchain and uses the CAS module (described below) to extract DID operations from it, and then combines / validates the state of each DID.

Content addressable storage / Content Address Storage: the CAS (Content Address Storage) module is a hash-based storage interface that is used by layer 2 nodes in the network to exchange mutually identified DID operation batches for local persistence and network propagation. This interface abstracts from the specific CAS protocol used, but it is worth noting that DIF members have chosen IPFS for this feature.

Blockchain / ledger adapter / Blockchain/Ledger Adapter: the adapter contains any code that needs to read and write a specific blockchain in order to release the Sidetree principal from the specific blockchain. Different underlying chains need to implement different adapters.

4. Working principle of Sidetree protocol

The Sidetree-based L2 node creates, reads, and processes DID operations as follows:

Nodes that want to write batch operations to an Sidetree-based L2 network first aggregate as many DID/DPKI operations as possible (based on the upper limit determined by deterministic protocol rules), then create a transaction on the L1 chain and embed a hash of the operation batch in the transaction.

The source data of the DID operation is stored locally by the originating node and pushed to the IPFS network. When other nodes learn about the underlying chain transaction embedded in the Sidetree operation, they will request the batch data from the original node or other IPFS node.

When a node receives a batch, it fixes the metadata locally, and then the Sidetree core logic module decompresses the batch data to parse and validate each operation. The block / transaction system of the target chain is the only consensus mechanism needed by the Sidetree protocol, and there is no need for additional block chains, side chains or consulting authority units to enable the DID in the network to achieve the correct PKI state.

The following is a more detailed diagram of the batch and operation embedded in the target block chain:

5. Design constraints of Sidetree protocol

The Sidetree protocol is designed with some key assumptions:

DIDs is non-transferable and the agreement does not provide a way for a logical entity to transfer, purchase or acquire the DID of other logical entities. This is feasible for the DID/DPKI use case, but not for the double spend of funds.

Embedded batch data can be delayed to be revealed and processed based on deterministic rule sets.

DID states are independent of each other, and the owner of a DID in turn intelligently affects the state of its own DID.

6. Progress in the implementation of Sidetree protocol

Currently, two teams among DIF members use the Sidetree protocol to develop L2 layer decentralized identity networks for Bitcoin and Ethernet Fang, respectively. Microsoft is mainly focused on the Bitcoin network, while Transmute Industries is working with ConsenSys to develop the ethernet version. You can view the implementation code of the Microsoft ION project here.

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