# UNIK Identifiers Key Concept
The main purpose of uns.network is to issue, to manage and to secure Decentralized IDentifiers. Here we explain what is a Decentralized IDentifiers in general and what are the specificities of the uns.network ones.
Content:
# Introduction to Identifiers and DIDs
An identifier, or an ID, is a name that identifies a unique object. An identifier may be a word, number, letter, symbol, or any combination of those.
A famous identifier used every day by everybody is the email address, like bob@protonmail.com. It identifies an email account. Combined with a password, it allows us to authenticate and to access our email account.
A Decentralized Identifier (DID) is a type of identifier that is decoupled from any centralized registries or database. In other words a DID is controlled by a individual, its owner, and nobody else.
DIDs are based on the Self-sovereign identity concept where only the user should own their digital identity data fully without intervention from a centralized third party.
IDs rooted in uns.network blockchain are Decentralized IDs, or DIDs.
# DID has Remarkable properties
Any decentralized IDentifiers have remarkable properties which make them the legitimate successor of traditional identifiers:
- DID is under the sole control of his owner
- DID owner is the only one to decide who can access data related to its ID
- DID is available every time and everywhere around the world
- DID is immutable, once minted, it can't be modified nor deleted
- DID is unique on a global network, by definition
- DID lifetime is everlasting
- DID can be anonymous, and his use can be untraceable in a P2P context
✔️ uns.network UNIK DIDs have all these remarkable properties.
# DID only exist in a Decentralized Network
A Decentralized Network...
- relies on many independent actors from each other
- is publicly accessible
- has a decentralized governance, independent of a country (such as an international foundation)
- is reliable, resilient, incorruptible, resistant to censorship, efficient
…providing DID…
- is accessible at low cost
- provide « International IDs», not only latin nor ascii ones
- rewards securing and using DIDs
- guarantees the absolute sovereignty of IDs
…self-controls their creation.
✔️ uns.network meets all these criteria, making it the ideal Decentralized Network for DIDs
# Uns.network Decentralized Identifier: UNIK DID
uns.network Decentralized Identifiers are called UNIK DID.
Every UNIK DID has a human-readable form called a @unikname ID.
Every UNIK DID is a Non Fungible Token (NFT), represented by is a 64 characters unique string hash, called UNIK token, minted into the uns.network blockchain.
Example
The @unikname ID @jack-Sparrow 
is represented in the uns.network by the UNIK Token hash code 10e7052bbc0b914d4d9bb88db916a366258569b7e1b1c9e5c47cef2fc37deedb.
# What makes UNIK DID so unique?
✔️ DID UNIK is a pseudonymous Identifer, it is not a proof of digital identity.
✔️ DID UNIK is Human-Readable, easy to remember and protected against typo-squatting
✔️ DID UNIK belong to namespaces, called types, defining their purpose.
✔️ DID UNIK have configurable governance rules specific to their type.
✔️ DID UNIK embed exclusive features for authentication
✔️ DID UNIK have advanced data registries (on-chain, off-chain, encrypted, badges…)
# SafeTypo© technology
Every @unikname is a string built with SafeTypo© technology for a peerless User eXperience. SafeTypo is an algorithm we've designed to build trustworthy Human-Readable identifiers. They're easily readable, pronounceable and communicable safely regarding spoofing and typosquatting risks.
This string is composed of unicode characters belonging to the SafeTypo© international alphabet (opens new window). It's a serie of digits, letters denominated in a specific alphabet or script, and separators.
Example of @unikname secured with SafeTypo© in an international context
@Alice101
@Obi-Wan.Kenobi
@Sarah.O’Connor
@El-Niño-del-sol
@Мое-имя
@はると
@张伟
The identifier built upon the @unikname string don't care about upper case/lower case, about accent, about separators, and take into account confusing characters.
@Alice101 is the same identifier as @alïce-1.O.1 . This is the same @unikname ID with a single owner. Once minted on the blockchain, users can use any equivalent typo to share and resolve their @unikname ID.
# UNIK DID resolver
UNIK DID can be resolved via the blockchain explorer (opens new window) or with the dedicated unikname.id resolver (opens new window)
The resolver works with a @unikname ID string matching a predefined format:
[@][unik:][{type}:]{explicitValue}
Values between square brackets
[]are optional
Properties of @unikname ID's can be resolved too, with a string following this format:
[@][unik:][{type}:]{explicitValue}[?{propertyKey}|?*]