Protocol Architecture

# Protocol Architecture Self Connect uses a federated architecture where multiple independent issuers can register attestations that map obfuscated identifiers to blockchain addresses. ## Core Components ``` ┌─────────────────┐ │ User/Client │ └────────┬────────┘ │ ├──────────────┐ │ │ v v ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │ ODIS │ │ Issuer │ │ (Privacy) │ │(Verification)│ └──────┬──────┘ └──────┬──────┘ │ │ └────────┬───────┘ │ v ┌──────────────────────┐ │ FederatedAttestations│ │ Smart Contract │ └──────────────────────┘ ``` ## FederatedAttestations Smart Contract The `FederatedAttestations` contract is the on-chain registry for all attestation mappings. It stores attestations in a structure that allows: * **Registration:** Issuers register mappings between obfuscated identifiers and addresses * **Lookup:** Anyone can query attestations for a given obfuscated identifier * **Multi-Issuer Support:** Attestations are organized by issuer, allowing trust-based filtering * **Batch Operations:** Multiple attestations can be queried simultaneously **Key Functions:** ```solidity // Register an attestation as an issuer function registerAttestationAsIssuer( bytes32 identifier, address account, uint64 issuedOn ) external // Lookup attestations for an identifier across multiple issuers function lookupAttestations( bytes32 identifier, address[] calldata trustedIssuers ) external view returns ( uint256[] memory countsPerIssuer, address[] memory accounts, address[] memory signers, uint64[] memory issuedOns, uint64[] memory publishedOns ) ``` Deployed contract addresses for mainnet and Alfajores are listed in [Reference & Resources](/docs/self-connect/reference/#contract-addresses). ## Issuer Ecosystem Issuers are independent entities that: 1. **Verify** user ownership of identifiers through their chosen method 2. **Request** obfuscated identifiers from ODIS 3. **Register** attestations to the FederatedAttestations contract 4. **Maintain** ODIS quota for continued operations Applications choose which issuers to trust based on: * Verification rigor * Reputation * Use case alignment * Uptime and reliability