Design Patterns for Blockchain-based Self-Sovereign Identity

Abstract: Self-sovereign identity is a new identity management paradigm that allows entities to really have the ownership of their identity data and control their use without involving any intermediary. Blockchain is an enabling technology for building self-sovereign identity systems by providing a neutral and trustable storage and computing infrastructure and can be viewed as a component of the systems. Both blockchain and self-sovereign identity are emerging technologies which could present a steep learning curve for architects. We collect and propose 12 design patterns for blockchain-based self-sovereign identity systems to help the architects understand and easily apply the concepts in system design. Based on the lifecycles of three main objects involved in self-sovereign identity, we categorise the patterns into three groups: key management patterns, decentralised identifier management patterns, and credential design patterns. The proposed patterns provide a systematic and holistic guide for architects to design the architecture of blockchain-based self-sovereign identity systems.