[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":285},["ShallowReactive",2],{"navigation":3,"\u002Fcards\u002Fkel":128,"\u002Fcards\u002Fkel-surround":280},[4,26,103],{"title":5,"path":6,"stem":7,"children":8,"page":25},"Blog","\u002Fblog","blog",[9,13,17,21],{"title":10,"path":11,"stem":12},"KERI Explanation: Learning Privacy and Recovery","\u002Fblog\u002Fkeri-explanation-learning-privacy-and-recovery","blog\u002Fkeri-explanation-learning-privacy-and-recovery",{"title":14,"path":15,"stem":16},"KERI Learning: Core Principles Explained","\u002Fblog\u002Fkeri-learning-core-principles-explained","blog\u002Fkeri-learning-core-principles-explained",{"title":18,"path":19,"stem":20},"KERI Tutorial: From Concept to Practice","\u002Fblog\u002Fkeri-tutorial-from-concept-to-practice","blog\u002Fkeri-tutorial-from-concept-to-practice",{"title":22,"path":23,"stem":24},"KERI Tutorial: Understanding Identity 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Blockchain","\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-blockchain-required","misconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-blockchain-required",{"title":113,"path":114,"stem":115},"Misconception: KERI Needs a Central Registry","\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-central-registry","misconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-central-registry",{"title":117,"path":118,"stem":119},"Misconception: KERI Is Just Another DID Method","\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-just-another-did-method","misconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-just-another-did-method",{"title":121,"path":122,"stem":123},"Misconception: Losing Your Wallet Means Losing Your Identity","\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-wallet-is-identity","misconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-wallet-is-identity",{"title":125,"path":126,"stem":127},"Misconception: Witnesses Control Your KERI Identity","\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-witnesses-authorities","misconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-witnesses-authorities",{"id":129,"title":88,"author":130,"body":134,"chunked":271,"date":272,"description":273,"extension":274,"image":275,"meta":276,"minRead":277,"navigation":271,"path":89,"seo":278,"stem":90,"__hash__":279},"cards\u002Fcards\u002FKEL.md",{"name":131,"avatar":132},"KERI Learning Team",{"src":133,"alt":131},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1544005313-94ddf0286df2?auto=format&fit=crop&w=400&q=80",{"type":135,"value":136,"toc":264},"minimark",[137,146,152,155,160,164,166,170,229,231,235,243,250,257],[138,139,140,141,145],"p",{},"A ",[142,143,144],"strong",{},"Key Event Log (KEL)"," is the heart of every KERI identifier. It is an append-only, cryptographically chained record of every significant action an identifier takes — and it is controlled by the identifier's owner, not a shared network. The clips below, drawn from KERI Conference 2026, explain what a KEL is and why it matters.",[147,148],"video-embed",{":autoplay":149,":muted":150,":playlist":151},"true","false","[{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield — what a KEL is\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":3,\"start\":\"4:10\",\"stop\":\"5:09\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FPhil Feairheller ｜ Infrastructure for Security ｜ Keri Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Phil Feairheller — the data structure\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FPhil Feairheller ｜ Infrastructure for Security ｜ Keri Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"1:33\",\"stop\":\"1:46\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJay Alexander Elliot ｜ Open KERI Infrastructure ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Jay Alexander Elliot — KEL vs. TEL\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJay Alexander Elliot ｜ Open KERI Infrastructure ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"start\":\"13:26\",\"stop\":\"13:36\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield — witnesses & watchers\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":3,\"start\":\"6:41\",\"stop\":\"6:53\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield — anchoring\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":3,\"start\":\"7:33\",\"stop\":\"7:46\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield — tamper-evident chain\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":3,\"start\":\"14:06\",\"stop\":\"14:13\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith — a micro ledger\",\"volume\":0.7,\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"start\":\"54:37\",\"stop\":\"54:50\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith — recoverability\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"27:54\",\"stop\":\"28:06\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith — KEL vs. blockchain\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"37:52\",\"stop\":\"38:00\"}]",[153,154],"divider",{},[156,157,159],"h2",{"id":158},"summary","Summary",[161,162],"handwritten-note",{"text":163},"A KEL is an append-only, tamper-evident log of one identifier's key events — a non-shared micro ledger controlled by its owner, no blockchain required.",[153,165],{},[156,167,169],{"id":168},"what-the-clips-cover","What the clips cover",[171,172,173,180,186,201,207,213,223],"ul",{},[174,175,176,179],"li",{},[142,177,178],{},"Thomas Mayfield — what a KEL is."," Your KERI identifier (an AID) records every significant action — inception, key rotation, and interaction events — into a Key Event Log. Each event is cryptographically signed and chained to the previous one, creating a tamper-evident chain: alter one event and the signatures break.",[174,181,182,185],{},[142,183,184],{},"Phil Feairheller — the data structure."," The KEL is an append-only data structure that communicates changes in your key state, which anyone in the world can verify without ever \"phoning home.\"",[174,187,188,191,192,196,197,200],{},[142,189,190],{},"Jay Alexander Elliot — KEL vs. TEL."," A simple framing: the KEL is the state of your ",[193,194,195],"em",{},"keys",", while the TEL (Transaction Event Log) is the state of your ",[193,198,199],{},"credentials",".",[174,202,203,206],{},[142,204,205],{},"Thomas Mayfield — witnesses & watchers."," Witnesses act as notaries for your KEL, giving it a highly available home; watchers detect duplicity by catching anyone presenting two conflicting versions of the same KEL — KERI's answer to the double-spend problem.",[174,208,209,212],{},[142,210,211],{},"Thomas Mayfield — anchoring."," Each ACDC credential is signed and anchored into an issuer's KEL, so its provenance is always verifiable.",[174,214,215,218,219,222],{},[142,216,217],{},"Samuel Smith — a micro ledger."," A KEL ",[193,220,221],{},"is"," a ledger — but a micro ledger controlled by a single identifier. It is a non-shared ledger, so it sidesteps the need for a shared blockchain.",[174,224,225,228],{},[142,226,227],{},"Samuel Smith — recoverability."," As long as one legitimate, valid copy of a KEL exists somewhere in the world, you can reconstitute your identity from it.",[153,230],{},[156,232,234],{"id":233},"quick-quizzes","Quick quizzes",[236,237],"quiz-question",{"name":238,"question":239,":options":240,"correct":241,"explanation":242},"kel-quiz-1","What is a Key Event Log (KEL) in KERI?","['A shared global ledger maintained by network validators', 'An append-only, tamper-evident log of all key events for a single identifier (AID)', 'A directory of public keys hosted by an identity provider', 'A smart contract that automatically issues credentials']","An append-only, tamper-evident log of all key events for a single identifier (AID)","Every significant action an AID takes — its inception event, key rotation events, and interaction events — is recorded in its Key Event Log. The KEL is append-only and each event is cryptographically signed, making it the authoritative history of that identifier.",[236,244],{"name":245,"question":246,":options":247,"correct":248,"explanation":249},"kel-quiz-2","Why is a KEL considered tamper-evident?","['Because it is stored on a public blockchain', 'Because each event is cryptographically signed and chained to the previous one, so any alteration breaks the signatures', 'Because only a central identity provider is allowed to write to it', 'Because witnesses encrypt every event end-to-end']","Because each event is cryptographically signed and chained to the previous one, so any alteration breaks the signatures","Each event in the KEL is signed together with the previous one, forming a hashchain — the same data structure that makes a blockchain immutable. If anyone alters a single event, the signatures break and the tampering is immediately detectable.",[236,251],{"name":252,"question":253,":options":254,"correct":255,"explanation":256},"kel-quiz-3","How does Samuel Smith describe a KEL compared to a blockchain?","['A faster public blockchain shared by all identifiers', 'A micro ledger controlled by one identifier — a non-shared ledger', 'A consensus network operated by validators', 'A federated registry run by trusted authorities']","A micro ledger controlled by one identifier — a non-shared ledger","Smith explains that a KEL is technically a ledger, but a micro ledger controlled by a single identifier rather than a shared one. Because it is non-shared, KERI does not need distributed consensus or a blockchain to manage identity.",[236,258],{"name":259,"question":260,":options":261,"correct":262,"explanation":263},"kel-quiz-4","What roles do witnesses and watchers play with respect to a KEL?","['Witnesses choose your keys and watchers issue your credentials', 'Witnesses act as notaries that give the KEL a highly available home, while watchers detect duplicity by catching conflicting versions', 'Witnesses run consensus while watchers mine new blocks', 'Witnesses store credentials while watchers rotate keys on your behalf']","Witnesses act as notaries that give the KEL a highly available home, while watchers detect duplicity by catching conflicting versions","Witnesses receive, sign, and republish your key events — like notaries — so verifiers can reach your KEL even when your wallet is offline. Watchers independently detect duplicity, catching anyone who presents two conflicting versions of the same KEL. This is KERI's answer to the double-spend problem.",{"title":265,"searchDepth":266,"depth":266,"links":267},"",2,[268,269,270],{"id":158,"depth":266,"text":159},{"id":168,"depth":266,"text":169},{"id":233,"depth":266,"text":234},true,"2026-06-26","What a Key Event Log (KEL) is, how it works, and why KERI uses one instead of a shared blockchain.","md",null,{},7,{"title":88,"description":273},"waTeuFNaKh0cBCGrIHwGEbNJJ2IUt9Do5FgF-_bT6EI",[281,283],{"title":84,"path":85,"stem":86,"description":282,"children":-1},"Highlights from Samuel Smith's response to the Five Eyes warning on frontier AI.",{"title":92,"path":93,"stem":94,"description":284,"children":-1},"What Key Event Receipt Infrastructure (KERI) is and why it enables portable, verifiable digital identity.",1791282196220]