Zooko’s Triangle and DIDs

The Zooko’s Triangle is a concept in the realm of naming systems, specifically for decentralized or distributed networks. It was named after Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn, a computer scientist and cypherpunk known for his work on the Zcash cryptocurrency. The triangle illustrates a trade-off between three desirable properties in a naming system:

1. Human-meaningful: Names are easily understood and remembered by humans.
2. Decentralized: No central authority controls the allocation or management of names.
3. Secure: Names are unique and cannot be easily taken or manipulated by others.

Zooko’s Triangle posits that achieving all three properties in a single system is difficult. Traditionally, a system could have only two of the three properties, leading to various combinations of naming systems with their respective advantages and disadvantages.

However, recent developments in cryptographic and distributed systems have led to solutions that challenge the traditional constraints of Zooko’s Triangle. One such system is the Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs).

DIDs

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) are a new identifier for verifiable, decentralized digital identity. DIDs are designed to be self-sovereign, meaning that individuals or organizations control their identifiers without relying on a central authority. DID systems are built on top of decentralized networks, such as blockchain or distributed ledgers, providing a secure and tamper-proof infrastructure for identity management.

DIDs aim to achieve the three properties of Zooko’s Triangle:

1. Human-meaningful: While DIDs may not be human-meaningful due to their cryptographic nature, they can be associated with human-readable names or aliases.
2. Decentralized: DIDs are managed on decentralized networks, removing the need for a central authority.
3. Secure: The decentralized nature of DIDs, combined with cryptographic techniques, ensures that identifiers are unique, secure, and resistant to tampering.

In summary, Zooko’s Triangle presents a trade-off between human-meaningful, decentralized, and secure properties in naming systems. Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) are an example of a system that seeks to overcome the traditional limitations of the triangle by leveraging decentralized networks and cryptographic techniques to provide a more comprehensive solution for digital identity management.