Numbers ID (Nid)

Nid is the interoperable identifier of digital media following EIP-7053 standard.

Having a non-interchangeable identifier for digital assets is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it ensures that the digital asset can be traced and tracked over time, allowing for transparency and accountability in the distribution and use of the asset. This helps to ensure that the asset retains its value and that revenue can be properly distributed to its rightful owners. Furthermore, it can be used to identify and distinguish the different versions of the asset. This allows for the management and preservation of the Asset's history, ensuring the Integrity and Provenance of the Asset.

NFTs are unique digital assets that exist on a blockchain network. They are commonly used to represent ownership of a digital asset, such as an image, video, or audio file. However, an NFT alone is not a non-interchangeable id for a digital asset. NFTs are unique tokens that are associated with a specific asset, but they are not the asset itself. The actual digital media file is stored off-chain, outside of the blockchain network. Therefore, if the digital file is altered or replaced, the NFT remains unchanged, it still points to the same NFT and the same digital file, but the digital file is a different one.

In the Numbers system, we define the Numbers ID (Nid) as the non-interchangeable identifier of the assets to server as a unique identifier to identify each content file. The Nid is a 59-character string that is cryptographically generated and serves to distinguish the vast ecosystem of digital assets within the network. The use of Nid ensures that all content files within the network can be easily identified, tracked and verified.

Nid is compliant with IPFS Kubo CIDv1, an established content address format that is widely used for identifying files and objects within the IPFS network. This compliance means that Nid is an integral part of the overall content addressing structure within the Numbers Protocol network, and it facilitates interoperability with other systems and protocols that use CIDv1. With Nid in place, the network can guarantee that digital assets can be tracked, verified and managed efficiently, making the network more secure and reliable.