This thematic glossary explains the identifiers and research-object concepts used to identify, cite, connect and manage datasets, publications, software, people, organisations and other research outputs.
It covers persistent identifiers such as DOI, ORCID, ROR and Handle, as well as identifier resolution, landing pages, related identifiers, digital objects, FAIR Digital Objects and version relationships.
Thematic glossary of persistent identifiers and research objects
Researchers, dataset authors, data stewards, curators, repository staff and developers
During metadata preparation, repository deposit, citation, cataloguing and research-object linking
Preferred English terms with Ukrainian equivalents
A persistent identifier is a managed identifier intended to remain stable over time and to continue identifying the same person, organisation, research output or other object even when its web location or descriptive information changes.
A persistent identifier is normally supported by an identifier service, a registration process, metadata and a resolution mechanism that directs users and machines to information about the identified object.
Persistence depends on governance, maintenance and organisational commitment. A web address may remain unchanged for a long time without being a formally managed persistent identifier.
Different identifier systems identify different components of the research environment.
Datasets, publications, software, models, workflows and other digital research objects.
Researchers, authors, contributors, curators and other people involved in creating or managing research outputs.
Universities, research institutes, repositories, funders and other organisations participating in research.
Links between datasets, publications, software, projects, creators, institutions and different versions.
A reliable identifier should support unambiguous identification and long-term connection to information about the object.
The identifier distinguishes the intended object from other people, organisations or research outputs.
The identifier is maintained even when the object location, metadata or organisational context changes.
The identifier can direct users or machines to a landing page, metadata record or other authoritative information.
The identifier is associated with sufficient metadata to explain what object it identifies.
Assigning an identifier is only the first step. Its metadata and destination must continue to be maintained.
Assign or obtain an identifier through the appropriate authoritative service.
Register the object and provide the metadata required by the identifier service.
Ensure that the identifier resolves to a stable landing page or authoritative record.
Update the destination and metadata without reassigning the identifier to a different object.
A DOI or another persistent identifier confirms that an object has been registered and can be identified. It does not automatically demonstrate scientific quality, FAIR compliance, open access, legal permission for reuse or long-term preservation of every file.
Select a letter to move to the corresponding glossary section.
Ukrainian: реєстраційний номер; номер доступу
An identifier assigned when an object or record is accepted into a database, collection, archive or disciplinary repository.
Accession numbers are widely used for biological sequences, specimens and other domain resources. Their persistence and scope depend on the assigning organisation.
Ukrainian: канонічний ідентифікатор
The preferred authoritative identifier used to represent an object when several identifiers or URL forms exist.
Selecting a canonical identifier reduces duplication and helps systems recognise that different references concern the same object.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор концепту або об’єкта незалежно від версії
An identifier representing the continuing intellectual object or dataset across several versions.
Some systems distinguish a concept-level identifier from identifiers assigned to individual published versions. The exact implementation depends on the repository or identifier service.
Ukrainian: цифровий об’єкт
An identifiable unit of digital content that can be stored, managed, described or exchanged.
A digital object may be a file, dataset, software package, model, image, metadata record, workflow or another digitally represented resource.
Full name: Digital Object Identifier · Ukrainian: цифровий ідентифікатор об’єкта
A managed persistent identifier commonly assigned to publications, datasets, software and other research outputs.
A DOI resolves to a maintained landing page and is associated with registered metadata. It should identify the research object rather than a temporary file location.
Ukrainian: метадані DOI
Metadata registered with a DOI and used to identify, describe, cite and connect the corresponding research object.
DOI metadata commonly include creators, title, publisher, publication year, resource type and relationships to other identified outputs.
Ukrainian: FAIR-цифровий об’єкт · Abbreviation: FDO
A conceptual model for a machine-actionable digital object associated with a persistent identifier, an explicit type, metadata and access to its digital content or services.
The concept supports automated discovery, interpretation and processing of digital research objects across federated infrastructures.
Ukrainian: глобально унікальний ідентифікатор · Abbreviation: GUID
An identifier generated so that the probability of assigning the same value to two different objects is extremely low.
Global uniqueness supports technical distinction between objects but does not by itself provide persistence, resolution, metadata or governance.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор Handle
A persistent identifier managed through the Handle System and used to resolve an identifier to one or more current locations or associated values.
DOI identifiers are implemented using Handle infrastructure, but DOI registration includes additional governance and metadata requirements.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор
A value, name, code or character sequence used to distinguish an object or entity within a defined context.
An identifier may be local or global, temporary or persistent, resolvable or non-resolvable.
Ukrainian: рівень деталізації ідентифікатора
The level of the object to which an identifier is assigned.
An identifier may represent an entire dataset, one version, an individual file, a collection, a software release or another defined component. The selected level should remain consistent.
Ukrainian: схема ідентифікаторів
A documented system defining how identifiers are created, structured, assigned, interpreted and managed.
A metadata record should normally preserve both the identifier value and the name or type of the identifier scheme.
Ukrainian: еквівалентність ідентифікаторів
A documented statement that two identifiers refer to the same object or entity.
Equivalence should be asserted cautiously because identifiers may refer to different versions, representations, records or levels of the same broader research object.
Ukrainian: цільова сторінка; сторінка об’єкта
A stable web page to which an identifier resolves and which presents authoritative information about the identified object.
A landing page may provide metadata, citation, version, access conditions, licence, related objects and links to available files.
Ukrainian: локальний ідентифікатор
An identifier that is unique and meaningful only within a particular repository, database, institution or information system.
A local identifier may support internal management but may not be sufficient for global citation or cross-system linking.
Ukrainian: створення та реєстрація ідентифікатора
The controlled creation or assignment of a new identifier within an identifier scheme.
Minting may require authorised credentials, a valid identifier prefix, required metadata and confirmation that the object has not already received an equivalent identifier.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор дослідника ORCID
A persistent identifier for people participating in research, scholarship and innovation.
ORCID helps distinguish people with similar names and connect them with affiliations, contributions, funding and research outputs. It identifies the person, not a particular authorship role.
Ukrainian: тип об’єкта
A classification indicating what kind of entity or research object an identifier represents.
Examples include dataset, publication, software, service, model, workflow, person and organisation. Explicit typing supports machine interpretation and validation.
Ukrainian: постійний ідентифікатор; стійкий ідентифікатор · Abbreviation: PID
A managed identifier intended to remain stable and continue identifying the same object or entity over time.
Persistence depends on an identifier scheme, responsible organisations, metadata maintenance and continued resolution or lookup services.
Ukrainian: граф постійних ідентифікаторів
A network of research entities connected through persistent identifiers and typed relationships.
A PID graph may connect datasets with creators, organisations, publications, software, projects, funding and other research objects.
Ukrainian: метадані постійного ідентифікатора
Structured information registered or maintained in association with a persistent identifier.
PID metadata identify the object, support resolution and citation, and may describe creators, type, publisher, dates, versions and related objects.
Ukrainian: запис постійного ідентифікатора
The registered information maintained by an identifier service for a particular persistent identifier.
Depending on the system, the record may include resolution targets, object type, metadata, administrative information and relationships.
Ukrainian: розв’язання постійного ідентифікатора
The process by which a persistent identifier is submitted to a resolver and directed to its current landing page, metadata record or another registered destination.
Resolution should continue to work even when the underlying web location changes, provided that the PID record is updated.
Ukrainian: сервіс постійних ідентифікаторів
A managed technical and organisational service supporting the creation, registration, resolution and maintenance of persistent identifiers.
A PID service may define identifier syntax, required metadata, governance, access permissions and update procedures.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор пов’язаного об’єкта
An identifier recorded in metadata to connect the described object with another identified research object.
A complete relationship normally includes the identifier value, identifier type and relation type, such as is derived from, is documented by or is a version of.
Ukrainian: дослідницький об’єкт
An identifiable research output or aggregation of digital components treated as one meaningful unit.
A research object may include data, software, methods, workflows, provenance, documentation and relationships needed to understand or reproduce a research result.
Ukrainian: зв’язок між дослідницькими об’єктами
A structured statement describing how one research object is connected to another.
Examples include derivation, supplementation, documentation, citation, versioning, component membership and use within a workflow.
Full name: Research Organization Registry · Ukrainian: ідентифікатор дослідницької організації ROR
A persistent identifier and registry record for research organisations.
ROR supports consistent identification of universities, institutes, laboratories, funders and other organisations in affiliations and research metadata.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор ресурсу
A general identifier assigned to a digital or physical resource.
The term does not by itself indicate that the identifier is globally unique, persistent or resolvable. The identifier scheme should therefore be stated.
Full name: Uniform Resource Identifier · Ukrainian: уніфікований ідентифікатор ресурсу
A standardised character sequence used to identify a resource, property, vocabulary term or concept.
A URI may identify a resource without necessarily functioning as a directly accessible web location.
Full name: Uniform Resource Locator · Ukrainian: вебадреса; уніфікований локатор ресурсу
A URI that identifies the network location through which a resource or web page can be accessed.
A URL may change when a website or storage location changes. It should not automatically be treated as a persistent identifier.
Ukrainian: ідентифікатор версії
An identifier assigned to a specific version or state of a research object.
A version identifier should distinguish the cited version from previous and subsequent versions and should be connected to the broader research object through an explicit relationship.
These concepts are related but should not be used as synonyms.
Every PID is an identifier, but not every identifier is supported by a long-term persistence commitment.
A DOI identifies an object through a managed system. A URL identifies its current web location.
The research object is the identified resource. Its metadata record describes and connects that resource.
ORCID identifies a person. The metadata record separately states whether that person is a creator, contributor or curator.
Before assigning an identifier, determine which level should be treated as the independently identifiable and citable object.
Assign one identifier when the files form one coherent and jointly documented dataset.
Consider a separate identifier when a component is independently cited, managed, versioned or reused.
Follow repository policy when substantive changes create a new citable version of the object.
Use typed relationships to connect datasets, publications, software and workflows instead of combining them into one undefined object.
Confirm that every DOI, ORCID, ROR and related identifier resolves to the intended object.
Record the identifier scheme and the type of object or entity being identified.
Record relationships using an identifier, identifier type and explicit relation type.
Update metadata and resolution targets when the object location or responsible organisation changes.
These definitions provide practical explanations for research data management and metadata preparation. The formal policies and technical rules of the relevant identifier service, registry or repository take precedence for identifier assignment and maintenance.