Persistent identifier services

This page provides curated links to persistent identifier services used to identify, cite and connect research outputs, people, organisations, projects, physical samples, software and other research entities.

Select an identifier according to the type and granularity of the object. A dataset DOI, an ORCID iD, a ROR ID and a sample identifier perform different functions and should not be used interchangeably.

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Resource information

Resource type

Curated directory of persistent identifier services, registries and resolvers

Intended users

Researchers, data stewards, curators, repository teams, librarians and infrastructure developers

Recommended use

During metadata preparation, repository publication, citation, project registration and research-object linking

Link status

External registries and services maintained by their respective organisations

Select an identifier by object type

Persistent identifier systems are specialised for different entities and research workflows.

Research outputs

Use DOI services for datasets, publications, software, workflows, models and other citable research outputs.

People and organisations

Use ORCID for individuals and ROR for research and funding organisations.

Projects and samples

Use RAiD for research activities and IGSN IDs for physical samples and sample collections.

Software and domain records

Use SWHIDs for precise source-code artefacts and recognised domain identifiers for database records.

An identifier is not automatically a persistent identifier

A local database number, file name or URL may identify an object within one system, but persistence additionally requires governance, maintenance and a commitment not to reassign the identifier to another object.

A persistent identifier should remain associated with the same object even when its location, metadata or responsible organisation changes.

Recommended starting points

Start with these services when identifying a research output, person or organisation or when exploring PID-based relationships.

Research output DOI service

DataCite

Global DOI registration and metadata infrastructure for research data, software, samples, workflows and other research resources.

Best for: repositories and organisations publishing citable research outputs

Provides: DOI registration, metadata management, APIs and discovery services

Explore DataCite DOI services

Researcher identifier

ORCID

Persistent identifier and registry record for people involved in research, scholarship and innovation.

Best for: distinguishing researchers and connecting them with affiliations, funding and outputs

Access: individual ORCID iDs are free

Create or manage an ORCID iD

Organisation identifier

Research Organization Registry

Global, community-led registry of open persistent identifiers for research and funding organisations.

Best for: affiliations, institutional metadata, funders and organisation disambiguation

Abbreviation: ROR

Search the ROR Registry

PID discovery service

DataCite Commons

Discovery, analytics and reporting environment based on relationships represented in DataCite DOI metadata.

Use it to: search works, people, organisations and repositories

Identifiers: DOI, ORCID and ROR

Explore DataCite Commons

DOI services for research outputs

DOI services combine a persistent identifier, registered metadata and a maintained resolution target.

Research resource DOI agency

DataCite

DOI registration agency supporting identification and citation of datasets, software, models, workflows, samples and other research resources.

Users: repositories, data centres, universities and research infrastructures

Management service: DataCite Fabrica

View DataCite services

Scholarly content DOI agency

Crossref

DOI registration and metadata infrastructure widely used for journal articles, books, conference outputs, preprints, grants and other scholarly content.

Users: publishers, institutions, funders and other Crossref members

Provides: content registration and metadata services

View Crossref registration

DOI governance

DOI Foundation

Non-profit organisation governing the DOI system and its Registration Agencies under the DOI international standard.

Use it to: understand DOI governance, infrastructure and official technical documentation

Role: DOI system Registration Authority

Visit the DOI Foundation

Identifier resolver

DOI Resolver

Resolution service directing a DOI to its currently registered landing page or another maintained destination.

Use it to: test whether a DOI resolves correctly

Recommended form: https://doi.org/prefix/suffix

Open DOI Resolver

People, organisations and PID relationships

Use entity-specific identifiers rather than entering names only as uncontrolled text.

Person PID registry

ORCID Registry

Registry of persistent identifiers and records for researchers, authors, contributors, curators and other research participants.

Use it for: creators, contributors, affiliations and research activities

Good practice: collect authenticated ORCID iDs rather than typing them manually

Open ORCID Registry

Organisation PID registry

ROR Registry

Open registry for identifying universities, research institutes, laboratories, funders and other research organisations.

Use it for: affiliations, publishers, funders and organisational responsibility

Access: search interface, API and registry data

Search ROR

PID graph exploration

DataCite Commons

Interface for examining relationships between research works, people, organisations and repositories represented in DataCite metadata.

Use it for: PID validation, discovery, reporting and relationship analysis

Core identifiers: DOI, ORCID and ROR

Search DataCite Commons

Scholarly metadata search

Crossref Metadata Search

Search service for metadata of articles, books, standards, datasets and other content registered with Crossref.

Search by: title, author, DOI, ORCID iD, ISSN and related metadata

Use it to: verify identifiers and locate registered scholarly records

Search Crossref Metadata

Projects, samples and software identifiers

These identifier systems extend PID use beyond publications and datasets to research activities, physical objects and source code.

Research project identifier

Research Activity Identifier

Persistent identifier and metadata registry for research projects and activities.

Use it to: connect project contributors, organisations, grants, instruments, datasets and publications

Abbreviation: RAiD

Explore RAiD

Physical sample identifier

IGSN ID

Globally unique and persistent identifier for physical samples and sample collections from any research domain.

Use it for: specimens, materials, cores, field samples and experimental objects

Registration infrastructure: DataCite services

Learn about IGSN IDs

Source-code identifier

Software Heritage Identifier

Content-derived persistent identifier for precise software source-code artefacts archived or recognised by Software Heritage.

Use it for: files, directories, revisions, releases and repository snapshots

Abbreviation: SWHID

Explore SWHIDs

Domain identifier resolver

Identifiers.org

Registry and resolution service providing consistent access to recognised scientific database identifiers, with a strong focus on life sciences.

Use it for: resolving Compact Identifiers and linking domain database records

Example domains: publications, genes, proteins, taxonomies and biological resources

Open Identifiers.org

General identifier infrastructure

These services provide general-purpose identifier and resolution mechanisms rather than identifiers dedicated to one research entity type.

General PID infrastructure

Handle System

Distributed infrastructure for assigning, managing and resolving persistent identifiers for digital objects and other resources.

Use it for: organisational identifier services requiring their own Handle prefix and resolution

Relationship: DOI identifiers use Handle infrastructure

Visit Handle.Net

Decentralised identifier

Archival Resource Key

Open and decentralised persistent identifier designed to support long-term access to digital, physical and abstract objects.

Used by: libraries, archives, museums, data centres and public institutions

Abbreviation: ARK

Explore ARK identifiers

DOI resolution infrastructure

doi.org

Official proxy service for resolving DOI names to their registered destinations.

Use it to: form actionable DOI URLs and check resolution

URL pattern: https://doi.org/10.prefix/suffix

Open doi.org

Scientific identifier resolver

Identifiers.org Resolver

Resolution infrastructure transforming registered Compact Identifiers into stable, actionable web references.

Use it to: create consistent references to records held by distributed scientific databases

Example form: https://identifiers.org/namespace:accession

Use the resolver

Researchers usually obtain a DOI through a repository or publisher

Individual researchers normally do not register DataCite or Crossref DOIs directly. DOI registration is performed by an authorised member, consortium organisation, repository, publisher or another registered service provider.

For a research dataset, select an appropriate repository and confirm whether it assigns a DOI or another recognised persistent identifier during publication.

Persistent identifier selection checklist

Verify the following before selecting or recording an identifier.

Object type

Does the identifier scheme cover the dataset, person, organisation, project, sample or software object concerned?

Granularity

Does the identifier represent the complete object, one version, one file, one sample or a broader collection?

Governance and metadata

Is the identifier supported by a maintained registry, responsible organisation and sufficient descriptive metadata?

Resolution and relationships

Does it resolve correctly, and can it be connected to related people, organisations, outputs, projects and versions?

Good PID practice

Use the full actionable form

Record identifiers as complete HTTPS URLs where the identifier scheme recommends an actionable form.

Verify before publication

Open each DOI, ORCID iD, ROR ID and related identifier and confirm that it resolves to the intended entity.

State the identifier type

Preserve both the identifier value and its scheme, such as DOI, ORCID, ROR, RAiD, IGSN ID or SWHID.

Use typed relationships

Record whether an identified object is a version, component, source, supplement, documentation or derivation of another object.

Verify current registration and metadata requirements

Persistent identifier services may revise their metadata schemas, membership arrangements, APIs, fees, validation rules and supported resource types.

Consult the current provider documentation before implementing an identifier workflow in a repository, institutional information system or funded research project.