Self.ID Core¶

The @self.id/core module provides read-only user data APIs for Node and browser-based applications.

If you need user data storage, use Self.ID Framework for React or Self.ID Web for web.

Getting started with Self.ID Core¶

Visit the Self.ID Core reference → documentation for full instructions on how to install, configure, and use the module in your application. For convenience, here's a look at what's possible with Self.ID Core:

Installation¶

Install @self.id/core from npm:

npm install @self.id/core

Setup and configuration¶

Before using the Self.ID Core APIs, make sure you have configured your setup including your node and data models.

Connect to a Ceramic node¶

The Self.ID Core instance generates a Ceramic client that needs to connect to a Ceramic node:

import { Core } from '@self.id/core'

// connect to a known URL
const core = new Core({ ceramic: 'http://localhost:7007' })
// or use one of the preconfigured option
const core = new Core({ ceramic: 'testnet-clay' })

This Ceramic endpoint can be the URL of any known node, http://localhost:7007, or one of Self.ID's preconfigured node options.

Configure data models¶

Self.ID core is pre-configured with a few popular data models that you can use to retrieve data from the network. You can read about those data models, and learn how to add additional data models, in the data models configuration page.

Retrieving user data¶

Using the core instance¶

The Self.ID Core instance can be used directly to read user data from Ceramic, using the get() method with a data model (definition) alias as the first argument and the user's Ceramic account as the second argument:

import { Core } from '@self.id/core'

const core = new Core(...)

const profile = await core.get('basicProfile', 'did:3:...')

Using the PublicID class¶

For use-cases when it is helpful to keep track of a specific account and possibly retrieve its data multiple times, the PublicID class can be used to wrap a Ceramic account:

import { Core, PublicID } from '@self.id/core'

const core = new Core(...)
const aliceID = 'did:3:123...'

// rather than using the Core instance directly as followed...
const [profile, accounts] = await Promise.all([
  core.get('basicProfile', aliceID),
  core.get('cryptoAccounts', aliceID),
])

// ... a PublicID instance can be used:
const alice = new PublicID({ core, id: aliceID })
const [profile, accounts] = await Promise.all([
  alice.get('basicProfile'),
  alice.get('cryptoAccounts'),
])