Doi (identifier)

Quick Facts: Who was Doi (identifier)?

Subject:

Doi (identifier)

Known for:

A persistent, standardized digital handle used to uniquely identify academic and professional online objects.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

A digital object identifier (DOI) is a persistent identifier, or persistent handle, used to uniquely identify various objects, standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). DOIs are an implementation of the Handle System; they also fit within the URI system (Uniform Resource Identifier). They are widely used to identify academic, professional, and government information, such as journal articles, research reports, data sets, and official publications. A DOI aims to resolve to its target, the information object to which the DOI refers. This is achieved by binding the DOI to metadata about the object, such as a URL where the object is located.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Thus, by being actionable and interoperable, a DOI differs from ISBNs or ISRCs which are identifiers only. The DOI system uses the indecs Content Model to represent metadata. The DOI for a document remains fixed over the lifetime of the document, whereas its location and other metadata may change. Referring to an online document by its DOI should provide a more stable link than directly using its URL, but if its URL changes, the publisher must update the metadata for the DOI to maintain the link to the URL. It is the publisher's responsibility to update the DOI database.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

If they fail to do so, the DOI resolves to a dead link, leaving the DOI useless. The developer and administrator of the DOI system is the International DOI Foundation (IDF), which introduced it in 2000. Organizations that meet the contractual obligations of the DOI system and are willing to pay to become a member of the system can assign DOIs. The DOI system is implemented through a federation of registration agencies coordinated by the IDF. The cumulative number of DOIs has increased exponentially over time, from 50 million registrations in 2011 to 391 million in 2025.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2000: 2000 Milestone — The developer and administrator of the DOI system is the International DOI Foundation (IDF), which introduced it in 2000.
2. 2011: 2011 Milestone — The cumulative number of DOIs has increased exponentially over time, from 50 million registrations in 2011 to 391 million in 2025.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Doi (identifier)

True or False: “The DOI system guarantees that if a publisher changes, all associated DOIs will remain permanently functional regardless of metadata updates.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the goal is persistence, the text notes that sometimes when a journal's publisher changes, all DOIs might be changed, causing old ones to become non-functional.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. D. Hope — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Australian poet and essayist celebrated for his satirical wit and academic career.
• A. E. van Vogt — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Al Davis — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering NFL executive and coach, known for building the legendary Oakland Raiders.
• Alan Rubin — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): American musician known for playing trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet.
• Alasdair MacIntyre — Historical peer (Died in 2025) (2025): Influential Scottish-American philosopher known for virtue ethics and political theory.
• Alfred Brendel — Historical peer (Died in 2025) (2025): Czech-born Austrian pianist, composer, and scholar renowned for Beethoven.

Frequently Asked Questions about Doi (identifier)