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Glossary

This page provides the definition of the commonly-used terms in the OpenAttestation (OA) documentation.

Decentralized application (DApp)​

A DApp has its backend code running on a decentralized peer-to-peer network. This is different from an app where the backend code is running on centralized servers.

Decentralized renderer​

A decentralized renderer is essentially a website that takes the OA document data as input and displays it in a web view. The renderer makes the OA document readable by human.

DID​

See this definition.

DNS record​

DNS stands for domain name system. A DNS record is a piece of information on a DNS server, which includes the type of this record (e.g. TXT), the domain name, and the value of this record, etc.

Document store​

A document store is a smart contract on the Ethereum network that records the issuance and revocation status of the OA documents. Using the document store, the owner can perform the following actions:

  • Issue new OA documents
  • Revoke an existing OA document
  • Check the validity of an OA document
  • Transfer the document store to another owner

Domain name​

A domain name is an address on the Internet that can be used to bind the document issuer's identity. This domain will display as the issuer every time the document is rendered in an OA-compliant decentralized renderer.

Ether​

Ether is the cryptocurrency used in the Ethereum blockchain network. Ethers are used to create and interact with smart contracts. They can either be mined or bought via fiat currency (e.g. Singapore Dollars).

Know your customer (KYC)​

Know your customer or know your client (KYC) is a guideline in financial services, which requires that the professionals make an effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved in maintaining a business relationship.

OA document​

An OA document means an OpenAttestation document, which is issued using the OpenAttestation framework. The data in the OA document is stored in the JSON format, while OA document file extensions can be .oa, .tt, or .opencert. It is a tamper-evident document that cryptographically proves the issuer.

There are two types of OA documents, one type being verifiable documents, while the other being transferable records.

Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP)​

Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) is an Internet protocol used for obtaining the revocation status of an OA document. To learn more, see this readme.

Raw document​

A raw document contains the data compliant with the OA document schema before the wrapping process. It is defined in JSON schema format.

Revocation​

Revocation is an action that makes an OA document no longer valid. There can be various reasons that make the issuer decide to revoke a document after issuance. To learn more, see this article.

Salt​

A salt is additional random data that is added to information before it is hashed to protect it from being exposed. In OpenAttestation, salt is also used for tamper verification.

Signature​

When you sign a document with the use of various signing algorithms, a digital signature is generated and is primarily used to verify the authenticity of transactions or documents issued to the blockchain.

Smart contract​

See this definition.

Transferable record​

A transferable record, also known as a "transferable document" or "token registry", is an extended verifiable document that defines a method for identifying the owner of the record at any given time. It references properties listed in the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records.

Verifiable credential​

A verifiable credential is a tamper-evident credential that has authorship that can be cryptographically verified. See here to learn more.

Verifiable document​

A verifiable document is a file, record, or piece of information that the user can check or confirm through a reliable process. A verifiable document is genuine and tamper-proof.

Wallet​

See this definition.

Wrapped document​

A wrapped document is a document that contains data compliant with OA schema and has gone through the wrapping process, with a checksum that provides a tamper-proof property.

The wrapped document needs to be issued on Ethereum or DID to become a verifiable document.