Pitching into DID Documents

A DID document is a JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) file that represents it's DID subject and provides metadata and cryptographic material related to the DID which is where DIDs are stored.

It describes how to interact with the DID subject and contains information that allows others to verify the authenticity and integrity of the DID's information.

There are various Key components of a DID Document

• id: it is a unique identifier of the DID Document, which is the same as the DID it represents.

• context: A context definition for the DID document. It has two elements: the standard DID context definition, and an object that provides a base identifier.

• service: It is the means of interacting with the DID subject. Each service entry contains an ID, type, and service endpoint Uniform Resource Identifier(URI).

• verificationMethod: An array(group) of methods for verifying the DID subject is who they say they are.It uses JSON Web Tokens (JWTs)

  But DID document can have more components because it's structure and contents depends on the requirements of the application being developed.

An example of a DID Document

{
  "id": "did:ion:EiBMIz-Hhom0_8EUaWLuscD08Riy0Fo5vp8mCXxszy5Gfg:eyJkZWx0YSI6eyJwYXRjaGVzIjpbeyJhY3Rpb24iOiJyZXBsYWNlIiwiZG9jdW1lbnQiOnsicHVibGljS2V5cyI6W3siaWQiOiJhdXRoeiIsInB1YmxpY0tleUp3ayI6eyJjcnYiOiJzZWNwMjU2azEiLCJrdHkiOiJFQyIsIngiOiJ3endxSEY3cEtzS3dkR3NBNkhpS0dyUGRaQ0FoYW9oeGxJS1JraDhGWjZNIiwieSI6ImVsY0tHbnpMTjNsVnpYWHV6YUk3WWFrWVI3MXBxNnBMbzNUNFRVaERJYXMifSwicHVycG9zZXMiOlsiYXV0aGVudGljYXRpb24iXSwidHlwZSI6Ikpzb25XZWJLZXkyMDIwIn0seyJpZCI6ImVuYyIsInB1YmxpY0tleUp3ayI6eyJjcnYiOiJzZWNwMjU2azEiLCJrdHkiOiJFQyIsIngiOiJuOVRDSEtNZS04Z1J6cl9YMC1XZVF1VzlyM1VGNlhZd1pscEtZTnVVdzhBIiwieSI6Im5UTEgxUS1OR05OMy0ySkxyWW9PMnNDSEdUcndpMXVqR0dNSEdKV3ZSNVkifSwicHVycG9zZXMiOlsia2V5QWdyZWVtZW50Il0sInR5cGUiOiJKc29uV2ViS2V5MjAyMCJ9XSwic2VydmljZXMiOlt7ImlkIjoiZHduIiwic2VydmljZUVuZHBvaW50Ijp7Im1lc3NhZ2VBdXRob3JpemF0aW9uS2V5cyI6WyIjYXV0aHoiXSwibm9kZXMiOlsiaHR0cHM6Ly9kd24udGJkZGV2Lm9yZy9kd24xIiwiaHR0cHM6Ly9kd24udGJkZGV2Lm9yZy9kd24yIl0sInJlY29yZEVuY3J5cHRpb25LZXlzIjpbIiNlbmMiXX0sInR5cGUiOiJEZWNlbnRyYWxpemVkV2ViTm9kZSJ9XX19XSwidXBkYXRlQ29tbWl0bWVudCI6IkVpRDJYTV9mRzQ2eFI4NDJVTjRzMTFOTU80LTEzbkwxdXdUVko1cGVVWFFicmcifSwic3VmZml4RGF0YSI6eyJkZWx0YUhhc2giOiJFaUJWLVQyU1dwWGI2bldwVlpyQXUwYTF3Q2hQdS1tRXJMaWtORWpSZ3VQa2hBIiwicmVjb3ZlcnlDb21taXRtZW50IjoiRWlBcGRSR1U4X2JkQ3oyZFpfR1R3QnZGOWw1ZXNRUWFqbXRjN3REdzcxTUUyQSJ9fQ",
  "@context": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/did/v1",
    {
      "@base": "did:ion:EiBMIz-Hhom0_8EUaWLuscD08Riy0Fo5vp8mCXxszy5Gfg: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"
    }
  ],
  "service": [
    {
      "id": "#dwn",
      "type": "DecentralizedWebNode",
      "serviceEndpoint": {
        "messageAuthorizationKeys": ["#authz"],
        "nodes": ["https://dwn.tbddev.org/dwn1", "https://dwn.tbddev.org/dwn2"],
        "recordEncryptionKeys": ["#enc"]
      }
    }
  ],
  "verificationMethod": [
    {
      "id": "#authz",
      "controller": "did:ion:EiBMIz-Hhom0_8EUaWLuscD08Riy0Fo5vp8mCXxszy5Gfg: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",
      "type": "JsonWebKey2020",
      "publicKeyJwk": {
            "crv": "secp256k1",
            "kty": "EC",
            "x": "wzwqHF7pKsKwdGsA6HiKGrPdZCAhaohxlIKRkh8FZ6M",
            "y": "elcKGnzLN3lVzXXuzaI7YakYR71pq6pLo3T4TUhDIas"
        }
    },
    {
      "id": "#enc",
      "controller": "did:ion:EiBMIz-Hhom0_8EUaWLuscD08Riy0Fo5vp8mCXxszy5Gfg: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",
      "type": "JsonWebKey2020",
      "publicKeyJwk": {
            "crv": "secp256k1",
            "kty": "EC",
            "x": "n9TCHKMe-8gRzr_X0-WeQuW9r3UF6XYwZlpKYNuUw8A",
            "y": "nTLH1Q-NGNN3-2JLrYoO2sCHGTrwi1ujGGMHGJWvR5Y"
        }
    }
  ]
}

For this case the verificationMethod has two methods which are encryption ('#enc') and authentication methods ('#authz').

Below is the implementation of how to retrieve a DID Document

const resolution = await web5.did.resolve(myDid);
const didDocument = resolution.didDocument;

The resolve function would return a DID Document object as the one shown in the previous code block.

DID Document Management

In order to maintain the integrity, security and relevance of DID Document it requires management there few possible actions that are create, update, delete or deactivate which help managing DID Documents

For more info on DID Document Management

Source

In the next article we will focus on how storage works in Web5