Identifier Architecture defines how Anchor gives stable identity to its canonical object: the Integrity Reference.
An Anchor Identifier identifies the Anchor-owned Integrity Reference. It does not replace, reinterpret, or absorb the Source-System Identifier of the authoritative artifact being referenced.
These identifiers describe different institutional objects and must remain independently meaningful.
The stable identifier assigned by Anchor to an Integrity Reference. It identifies the Anchor record itself across publication, Verification, Versioning, Corrections, relationships, and long-term preservation.
Architecture DefinedThe identifier assigned by the Source Institution to the authoritative artifact referenced by Anchor, such as a Certification Package, Registry Entry, or Chronicle Entry.
External AuthorityThe institution that governs the Source-System Identifier and the Authoritative Artifact associated with it.
Required ContextA Version identifies a governed state of the Integrity Reference. Anchor Versioning is now defined as sequential integers beginning at 1.
Architecture DefinedThe Source-System Identifier identifies the external authoritative object. The Anchor Identifier identifies the integrity-preservation record created for a defined representation of that object.
Once assigned to a production Integrity Reference, an Anchor Identifier should remain stable. Corrections, later Verification, maintenance, and other ordinary lifecycle events should not silently change its identity.
Every production Anchor Identifier must uniquely identify one Anchor-owned Integrity Reference within the Anchor namespace.
Once assigned to a production Integrity Reference, an Anchor Identifier must not be repurposed or recycled to identify a different Integrity Reference, whether or not the original candidate ultimately reaches publication.
Anchor Identifiers should remain resolvable or reconstructable across long-term publication, archival, migration, and technology change.
Identifier identity and Version identity are separate concerns.
Anchor Versioning is now defined as sequential integers beginning at 1. A governed change to the same integrity subject may create a new Anchor Version while preserving the same Anchor Identifier.
A materially different integrity subject requires a new Integrity Reference and therefore a new Anchor Identifier.
A Source Institution may revise its artifact without changing the meaning of the original Anchor Identifier. Anchor must preserve which Source representation and Source Version, where applicable, the Integrity Reference actually covered.
Existing Suite identifiers demonstrate the need for explicit cross-system separation.
If Anchor later preserves Integrity References for these artifacts, each Anchor record will receive its own Anchor Identifier.
The existing Source-System Identifier must remain present as the Source reference rather than being replaced by the Anchor Identifier.
The first production Anchor Identifier syntax is now frozen as:
Components:
The syntax is intentionally Version-independent and technology-neutral. It does not encode Source identity, lifecycle, Verification Result, algorithm, hash value, publication state, or external commitment data.
Production Syntax FrozenThe identifier should avoid embedding mutable or interpretive information unless production architecture demonstrates that it is necessary.
These concepts may change while the identity of the Integrity Reference remains stable.
A production Anchor Identifier is permanently assigned after the Integrity Reference candidate is constructed sufficiently to establish its integrity subject and before Stage A Validation.
This timing is required because formal Validation evaluates the actual production Integrity Reference, and the Base Schema requires anchor_identifier.
Identifier assignment establishes stable Anchor identity. It does not make the record publicly authoritative.
Once assigned, an Anchor Identifier must not be recycled or reassigned even if the candidate later fails Validation, is abandoned, or never reaches publication.
Assignment Rule DefinedThe first production Integrity Reference candidate is now assigned:
This assignment establishes Anchor identity only. The record must still pass Stage A Validation, Initial Verification, Stage B Publication-Readiness Validation, and the Publication Gate before becoming a published Anchor record.
First Identifier AssignedA Correction should not automatically create a new Anchor Identifier. Later Corrections architecture must determine whether the correction modifies an existing Integrity Reference through Versioning or requires a new Integrity Reference.
Stable identifiers will allow later Anchor architecture to express relationships precisely.
This is why Identifier Architecture precedes Relationships, Provenance, Schemas, Versioning, Corrections, and Publication.
Anchor governs only the Anchor Identifier namespace.
It does not reinterpret or reassign identifiers owned by Certifier, Registry, Chronicle, Atlas, Beacon, Attestor, Navigator, or external Source Institutions.
Anchor Identifiers should provide stable identity for Integrity References while preserving the independent identity and authority of every Source Artifact.