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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":130,"body":131,"description":132,"extension":133,"links":134,"meta":135,"navigation":136,"path":105,"seo":137,"stem":106,"__hash__":138},"pages\u002Fmisconceptions.yml","KERI Misconceptions",null,"Common misunderstandings about KERI, clarified with evidence and explanations.","yml",[],{},true,{"title":130,"description":132},"D8k8lzvi45KSW9dFMtsk8gYEsVWV04tpmXuVYLF_NfM",[140,258,337,432,522],{"id":141,"title":109,"author":142,"body":146,"chunked":136,"date":251,"description":252,"extension":253,"image":131,"meta":254,"minRead":255,"navigation":136,"path":110,"seo":256,"stem":111,"__hash__":257},"misconceptions\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-blockchain-required.md",{"name":143,"avatar":144},"KERI Learning Team",{"src":145,"alt":143},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1544005313-94ddf0286df2?auto=format&fit=crop&w=400&q=80",{"type":147,"value":148,"toc":243},"minimark",[149,157,160,166,171,175,179,207,211,214,218],[150,151,152,156],"p",{},[153,154,155],"strong",{},"Misconception:"," \"KERI is blockchain identity, so it must depend on a shared ledger.\"",[150,158,159],{},"KERI uses cryptographic event logs, receipts, witnesses, and watchers to make identifier state verifiable. A blockchain can be useful infrastructure around KERI, but the root of trust lives in the identifier and its Key Event Log (KEL), not in a validator network.",[161,162],"video-embed",{":autoplay":163,":muted":164,":playlist":165},"true","false","[{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith - the ledger wars\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"24:12\",\"stop\":\"25:04\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith - identity without blockchain\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"27:54\",\"stop\":\"28:13\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - blockchain hashchain comparison\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"5:09\",\"stop\":\"5:19\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - off-chain identity\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"22:56\",\"stop\":\"23:05\"}]",[167,168,170],"h2",{"id":169},"summary","Summary",[172,173],"handwritten-note",{"text":174},"KERI is not ledger-first identity. It can anchor to blockchains when useful, but identifier authority is verified from the AID's own cryptographic event history.",[167,176,178],{"id":177},"what-the-clips-cover","What the clips cover",[180,181,182,189,195,201],"ul",{},[183,184,185,188],"li",{},[153,186,187],{},"Samuel Smith - the ledger wars."," Early SSI conversations often became arguments about which ledger should hold identity. KERI's insight is that portable identity should not be locked to one ledger.",[183,190,191,194],{},[153,192,193],{},"Samuel Smith - identity without blockchain."," KERI was designed so decentralized identity can work without requiring blockchain consensus.",[183,196,197,200],{},[153,198,199],{},"Thomas Mayfield - blockchain hashchain comparison."," KERI uses hash-chained data structures like blockchains do, but a KEL is per-identifier rather than one global shared ledger.",[183,202,203,206],{},[153,204,205],{},"Thomas Mayfield - off-chain identity."," Blockchain integration can make sense for some use cases, but identity itself should remain off-chain.",[167,208,210],{"id":209},"why-it-matters","Why it matters",[150,212,213],{},"Blockchains solve double spending for scarce digital assets. Most identity state changes need consistency and duplicity detection, not global ordering by a consensus network. That is why KERI can be decentralized, portable, and scalable without being tied to the blockchain trilemma.",[167,215,217],{"id":216},"sources","Sources",[180,219,220,229,236],{},[183,221,222],{},[223,224,228],"a",{"href":225,"rel":226},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Ffinema\u002Fthe-hitchhikers-guide-to-keri-part-1-51371f655bba",[227],"nofollow","The Hitchhiker's Guide to KERI, Part 1",[183,230,231],{},[223,232,235],{"href":233,"rel":234},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Ffinema\u002Fthe-hitchhikers-guide-to-keri-part-2-what-exactly-is-keri-e46a649ac54c",[227],"The Hitchhiker's Guide to KERI, Part 2",[183,237,238],{},[223,239,242],{"href":240,"rel":241},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lfdecentralizedtrust.org\u002Fblog\u002Fa-day-in-your-life-with-keri",[227],"A Day in your Life with KERI",{"title":244,"searchDepth":245,"depth":245,"links":246},"",2,[247,248,249,250],{"id":169,"depth":245,"text":170},{"id":177,"depth":245,"text":178},{"id":209,"depth":245,"text":210},{"id":216,"depth":245,"text":217},"2026-07-01","KERI can use blockchains for discovery or anchoring, but its identifiers do not depend on shared-ledger consensus.","md",{},4,{"title":109,"description":252},"xpGCJKRMjH3ntwbEl7ZuLRWrpFXyF8hZaufRxA2WX1M",{"id":259,"title":113,"author":260,"body":262,"chunked":136,"date":251,"description":333,"extension":253,"image":131,"meta":334,"minRead":255,"navigation":136,"path":114,"seo":335,"stem":115,"__hash__":336},"misconceptions\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-central-registry.md",{"name":143,"avatar":261},{"src":145,"alt":143},{"type":147,"value":263,"toc":327},[264,269,272,275,277,280,282,308,310,313,315],[150,265,266,268],{},[153,267,155],{}," \"Someone still has to issue or own your KERI identity.\"",[150,270,271],{},"In many digital identity systems, a platform, issuer, registry, or identity provider controls the account. KERI starts from a different root: an autonomic identifier (AID) is self-certifying, derived from cryptographic material controlled by the identifier's controller.",[161,273],{":autoplay":163,":muted":164,":playlist":274},"[{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - tenant vs owner\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"1:59\",\"stop\":\"2:43\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - self-certifying identifiers\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"3:03\",\"stop\":\"3:18\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - portable trust\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"3:58\",\"stop\":\"4:24\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith - decentralized key management\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"35:52\",\"stop\":\"36:03\"}]",[167,276,170],{"id":169},[172,278],{"text":279},"A KERI AID is not rented from a registry. Its authority is self-certifying: the controller proves control with keys and a verifiable event history.",[167,281,178],{"id":177},[180,283,284,290,296,302],{},[183,285,286,289],{},[153,287,288],{},"Thomas Mayfield - tenant vs owner."," Traditional accounts and certificates can disappear when a platform, issuer, or registry changes the rules. KERI roots identity in keys you control.",[183,291,292,295],{},[153,293,294],{},"Thomas Mayfield - self-certifying identifiers."," The identifier is derived directly from cryptographic keys, so no registrar has to grant it.",[183,297,298,301],{},[153,299,300],{},"Thomas Mayfield - portable trust."," KERI's AID model makes trust portable across systems instead of bound to a specific platform.",[183,303,304,307],{},[153,305,306],{},"Samuel Smith - decentralized key management."," KERI is decentralized key management infrastructure, not a centralized identity registry.",[167,309,210],{"id":209},[150,311,312],{},"Registries and issuers can still issue useful credentials about an AID, such as a legal entity credential or government endorsement. But those credentials do not create the AID. The identifier's basic authority comes from cryptographic control and its Key Event Log.",[167,314,217],{"id":216},[180,316,317,322],{},[183,318,319],{},[223,320,235],{"href":233,"rel":321},[227],[183,323,324],{},[223,325,242],{"href":240,"rel":326},[227],{"title":244,"searchDepth":245,"depth":245,"links":328},[329,330,331,332],{"id":169,"depth":245,"text":170},{"id":177,"depth":245,"text":178},{"id":209,"depth":245,"text":210},{"id":216,"depth":245,"text":217},"KERI identifiers are self-certifying, so control comes from cryptographic keys instead of a registrar, issuer, or platform.",{},{"title":113,"description":333},"9JkDBwOrv3OXvQkWW1M3XgBP_HGOPwRX74Ou-LFl0Yk",{"id":338,"title":117,"author":339,"body":341,"chunked":136,"date":251,"description":428,"extension":253,"image":131,"meta":429,"minRead":255,"navigation":136,"path":118,"seo":430,"stem":119,"__hash__":431},"misconceptions\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-just-another-did-method.md",{"name":143,"avatar":340},{"src":145,"alt":143},{"type":147,"value":342,"toc":422},[343,348,360,363,365,368,370,396,398,401,403],[150,344,345,347],{},[153,346,155],{}," \"KERI only adds one more DID method to an already crowded DID registry.\"",[150,349,350,351,355,356,359],{},"KERI can appear in DID form, including ",[352,353,354],"code",{},"did:keri"," and ",[352,357,358],{},"did:webs",", but the protocol is not limited to being a DID method. Its deeper purpose is to provide a trust-spanning identity layer: portable identifiers, verifiable key state, and a way to bridge across ecosystems.",[161,361],{":autoplay":163,":muted":164,":playlist":362},"[{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJonathan Rayback ｜ KERI Bridge to the DID World ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Jonathan Rayback - KERI entering the DID world\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJonathan Rayback ｜ KERI Bridge to the DID World ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"start\":\"1:11\",\"stop\":\"1:42\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJonathan Rayback ｜ KERI Bridge to the DID World ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Jonathan Rayback - many DID methods\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJonathan Rayback ｜ KERI Bridge to the DID World ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"start\":\"4:04\",\"stop\":\"4:44\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJonathan Rayback ｜ KERI Bridge to the DID World ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Jonathan Rayback - did:keri\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FJonathan Rayback ｜ KERI Bridge to the DID World ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"start\":\"8:02\",\"stop\":\"8:42\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - portable trust and AIDs\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"3:58\",\"stop\":\"4:24\"}]",[167,364,170],{"id":169},[172,366],{"text":367},"KERI can speak DID, but it is bigger than a DID method. It is a cryptographic identity layer designed to make identifiers portable across ecosystems.",[167,369,178],{"id":177},[180,371,372,378,384,390],{},[183,373,374,377],{},[153,375,376],{},"Jonathan Rayback - KERI entering the DID world."," DID:Webs is described as KERI's entry into the DID:Webx family, showing how KERI can bridge to W3C DID conventions.",[183,379,380,383],{},[153,381,382],{},"Jonathan Rayback - many DID methods."," The DID ecosystem has many methods, each with its own method-specific rules. KERI's value is not merely adding another name to that list.",[183,385,386,389],{},[153,387,388],{},"Jonathan Rayback - did:keri."," DID:KERI exists and is simple in form: the DID method prefix plus the AID. That mapping exposes KERI identifiers to DID tooling.",[183,391,392,395],{},[153,393,394],{},"Thomas Mayfield - portable trust and AIDs."," KERI's core identity object is the AID, a portable cryptographic identifier whose authority comes from its own keys and events.",[167,397,210],{"id":209},[150,399,400],{},"If KERI is treated only as \"another DID method,\" its main architectural contribution gets missed. The Medium guide frames KERI as an identity overlay for the internet, while the LF Decentralized Trust article describes KERI as part of a trust-spanning layer that lets telecom, healthcare, government, and finance compose without one platform controlling them all.",[167,402,217],{"id":216},[180,404,405,410,417],{},[183,406,407],{},[223,408,235],{"href":233,"rel":409},[227],[183,411,412],{},[223,413,416],{"href":414,"rel":415},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Ffinema\u002Fthe-hitchhikers-guide-to-keri-part-3-how-do-you-use-keri-2d1724afa432",[227],"The Hitchhiker's Guide to KERI, Part 3",[183,418,419],{},[223,420,242],{"href":240,"rel":421},[227],{"title":244,"searchDepth":245,"depth":245,"links":423},[424,425,426,427],{"id":169,"depth":245,"text":170},{"id":177,"depth":245,"text":178},{"id":209,"depth":245,"text":210},{"id":216,"depth":245,"text":217},"KERI can interoperate with the DID world, but its larger goal is a portable identity and trust-spanning layer.",{},{"title":117,"description":428},"4ZgO7ebCvlhLf7kQHr119n_dEREByz-xdCxAUmfgUow",{"id":433,"title":121,"author":434,"body":436,"chunked":136,"date":251,"description":518,"extension":253,"image":131,"meta":519,"minRead":255,"navigation":136,"path":122,"seo":520,"stem":123,"__hash__":521},"misconceptions\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-wallet-is-identity.md",{"name":143,"avatar":435},{"src":145,"alt":143},{"type":147,"value":437,"toc":512},[438,443,446,449,451,454,456,488,490,493,495],[150,439,440,442],{},[153,441,155],{}," \"If your phone or wallet is stolen, your KERI identity is gone.\"",[150,444,445],{},"A wallet is an important tool, but it is not the identity itself. In KERI, the AID persists across key rotations. Pre-rotation lets the controller commit to future rotation keys before they are needed, making recovery possible after compromise.",[161,447],{":autoplay":163,":muted":164,":playlist":448},"[{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - wallet functions\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"5:32\",\"stop\":\"6:14\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - pre-rotation\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"11:25\",\"stop\":\"12:17\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - compromise recovery\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"12:37\",\"stop\":\"12:59\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Samuel Smith - not your keys, still your identity\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FSamuel Smith ｜ State of the KERI Suite ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":0.7,\"start\":\"39:50\",\"stop\":\"40:08\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - ACDC recovery\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"14:42\",\"stop\":\"15:12\"}]",[167,450,170],{"id":169},[172,452],{"text":453},"Your wallet holds keys and credentials, but your KERI identity is the AID plus its verifiable key history. With pre-rotation, compromise does not have to mean starting over.",[167,455,178],{"id":177},[180,457,458,464,470,476,482],{},[183,459,460,463],{},[153,461,462],{},"Thomas Mayfield - wallet functions."," The wallet generates and rotates keys, stores credentials, and signs interactions. It is the holder's home, not the root of identity by itself.",[183,465,466,469],{},[153,467,468],{},"Thomas Mayfield - pre-rotation."," KERI commits to future rotation keys in advance, keeping them hidden until a rotation is needed.",[183,471,472,475],{},[153,473,474],{},"Thomas Mayfield - compromise recovery."," Pre-rotation supports post-compromise recovery because an attacker with current signing keys does not automatically control the next rotation keys.",[183,477,478,481],{},[153,479,480],{},"Samuel Smith - not your keys, still your identity."," KERI is designed so loss of a key set does not necessarily destroy the identifier.",[183,483,484,487],{},[153,485,486],{},"Thomas Mayfield - ACDC recovery."," Even if a wallet is lost, credentials can be recovered or reissued because proof of ownership traces back to keys and identifier control.",[167,489,210],{"id":209},[150,491,492],{},"The LF Decentralized Trust \"stolen phone\" scenario shows why this distinction matters in ordinary life. If active keys are compromised, the controller can rotate to pre-committed keys and keep the same identifier, so credentials bound to that identifier can remain meaningful.",[167,494,217],{"id":216},[180,496,497,502,507],{},[183,498,499],{},[223,500,228],{"href":225,"rel":501},[227],[183,503,504],{},[223,505,235],{"href":233,"rel":506},[227],[183,508,509],{},[223,510,242],{"href":240,"rel":511},[227],{"title":244,"searchDepth":245,"depth":245,"links":513},[514,515,516,517],{"id":169,"depth":245,"text":170},{"id":177,"depth":245,"text":178},{"id":209,"depth":245,"text":210},{"id":216,"depth":245,"text":217},"KERI separates the identifier from any one device or wallet by using recoverable key state and pre-rotation.",{},{"title":121,"description":518},"50hgaUfuLDTpqz_rqXKIEq8PQHLoQ4xetcXRWlLArM4",{"id":523,"title":125,"author":524,"body":526,"chunked":136,"date":251,"description":597,"extension":253,"image":131,"meta":598,"minRead":255,"navigation":136,"path":126,"seo":599,"stem":127,"__hash__":600},"misconceptions\u002Fmisconceptions\u002Fkeri-misconception-witnesses-authorities.md",{"name":143,"avatar":525},{"src":145,"alt":143},{"type":147,"value":527,"toc":591},[528,533,536,539,541,544,546,572,574,577,579],[150,529,530,532],{},[153,531,155],{}," \"KERI just replaces blockchain validators with witnesses and watchers.\"",[150,534,535],{},"Witnesses and watchers are important, but they are not the root of authority. Witnesses receive, sign, and republish key events so a KEL remains available. Watchers independently look for duplicity, such as two conflicting versions of the same KEL.",[161,537],{":autoplay":163,":muted":164,":playlist":538},"[{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - witnesses as notaries\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"6:35\",\"stop\":\"7:21\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - watchers detect duplicity\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"7:21\",\"stop\":\"8:04\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Thomas Mayfield - verify for yourself\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FThomas Mayfield ｜ KERI Infrastructure & the 5 W's ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"volume\":4,\"start\":\"8:04\",\"stop\":\"8:15\"},{\"url\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FRyan Hansen ｜ Witnesses & Watchers ｜ KERI Conference 2026.mp4\",\"bumper\":\"Ryan Hansen - witness and watcher infrastructure\",\"subtitles\":\"\u002Fconfs\u002FKERI\u002F2026\u002Fapr\u002Ftalks\u002FRyan Hansen ｜ Witnesses & Watchers ｜ KERI Conference 2026.srt\",\"start\":\"15:58\",\"stop\":\"16:40\"}]",[167,540,170],{"id":169},[172,542],{"text":543},"Witnesses help publish and receipt your events. Watchers help detect conflicting histories. Neither one owns your AID or replaces your keys.",[167,545,178],{"id":177},[180,547,548,554,560,566],{},[183,549,550,553],{},[153,551,552],{},"Thomas Mayfield - witnesses as notaries."," Witnesses are designated services that receive, sign, and republish key events. They provide availability and receipts, and the controller chooses them.",[183,555,556,559],{},[153,557,558],{},"Thomas Mayfield - watchers detect duplicity."," Watchers observe for conflicting KEL histories. Their job is detection, not issuing identities or deciding key state by consensus.",[183,561,562,565],{},[153,563,564],{},"Thomas Mayfield - verify for yourself."," Watchers help turn \"trust me\" into \"verify for yourself.\"",[183,567,568,571],{},[153,569,570],{},"Ryan Hansen - witness and watcher infrastructure."," The conference demo shows these as deployable infrastructure components around KERI, not as a central authority.",[167,573,210],{"id":209},[150,575,576],{},"Confusing witnesses with validators makes KERI look like another consensus system. KERI's authority model is different: the AID's key events establish state, witnesses make those events reachable and receipted, and watchers help verifiers detect inconsistent histories.",[167,578,217],{"id":216},[180,580,581,586],{},[183,582,583],{},[223,584,235],{"href":233,"rel":585},[227],[183,587,588],{},[223,589,242],{"href":240,"rel":590},[227],{"title":244,"searchDepth":245,"depth":245,"links":592},[593,594,595,596],{"id":169,"depth":245,"text":170},{"id":177,"depth":245,"text":178},{"id":209,"depth":245,"text":210},{"id":216,"depth":245,"text":217},"KERI witnesses and watchers support availability and verification, but they do not own or issue the identifier.",{},{"title":125,"description":597},"aYPGGqr9kPo2HoEqrKOHPtlphR6ZsRWBO781mOQzu2s",1791282195671]