The World Wide Web Consortium seeks implementation feedback on decentralized identifier resolution standard

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published a Candidate Recommendation Snapshot of the Decentralized Identifier Resolution (DID Resolution) v1 specification, marking the next stage in the standardisation process and inviting developers to test and implement the specification. Comments and implementation feedback are open until 3 September 2026.

The specification defines a standard way for applications to retrieve information associated with a Decentralized Identifier (DID). A DID is a type of digital identifier that is designed to allow individuals, organisations or devices to manage their own digital identity without relying on a single central authority.

When an application ‘resolves’ a DID, it retrieves a DID document that contains information such as public cryptographic keys, service endpoints, and other metadata needed to verify the identity of the DID holder or to interact securely with them. The specification also describes how applications can retrieve specific resources linked to a DID, such as documents or other digital assets.

According to W3C, the specification provides a common interface that works across different DID methods, allowing applications to interact with decentralised identity systems in a consistent way regardless of the underlying technology. It also includes requirements, implementation guidance, and security and privacy considerations for developers building DID resolvers and related services.

The specification is intended for developers of decentralised identity systems, digital credential services and other applications that rely on secure digital identity verification. It supports use cases such as verifying digital credentials, maintaining persistent digital identities, retrieving resources linked to a DID and accessing historical versions of identity records for auditing purposes.