A public key is a piece of information you can safely share that helps other people or systems do secure things with you online. Most often, it is used for encrypting data (so only you can read it) and verifying digital signatures (so others can confirm something really came from you). Public keys are one…
A hash is a short digital fingerprint of data. A hash function is the algorithm that creates that fingerprint. You can hash almost anything, like a password, a PDF, a photo, a contract, or a database export. The output is a fixed-size string that represents the input. People also call this output a hash value…
Decentralized Identifiers, usually called DIDs, are a way to identify a person, organization, device, or even a digital object on the internet without depending on a single central provider. Instead of having your identity “live” inside one platform, a DID is designed so you (or your organization) can control it directly, typically using cryptographic keys….
An asymmetric key pair is a set of two cryptographic keys that are created together and are mathematically linked. One key is public, meaning it can be shared. The other key is private, meaning it must be kept secret. These two keys work as a team. Depending on what you are trying to do, the…
Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are digitally signed credentials that let someone prove something about a set of claims in a way that’s easy to verify and tamper-proof. If you’ve ever shown a paper diploma, a professional certificate, or any supporting document, you already understand the concept. A verifiable credential is the digital equivalent, but with an…