[Question] What type is a DID

[melvincarvalho]

I wasn’t able to find the @type of a DID. Are there any recommendations on what should be used here? Alternatively, is it acceptable to define a custom type?

[peacekeeper]

@melvincarvalho my understanding is that a @type statement wouldn't indiciate the type of the DID, but rather the type of the subject that is identified by the DID. Your question is a bit like asking what is the @type of a URI.

From the spec:

Anything can be the subject of a DID: person, group, organization, thing, or concept.

So it can really be anything. In most cases, there is no @type in a DID document, and that kind of information about a subject is expressed elsewhere, such as in Verifiable Credentials.

[melvincarvalho]

Thanks @peacekeeper I guess there's no standard way, then. We could do something in our own context, if necessary. This issue can be closed unless someone wants to add a comment.

[jandrieu]

Agreed. Type in a DID document is problematic.

As @peacekeeper mentioned, you can do it with a custom context, but, IMO, you probably don't want to do that. I'd recommend keeping attributes about subjects in VCs issued "to" a DID representing that subject, which have much better privacy characteristics than DID Documents.