14linked

14linked is a hypothetical data-linking protocol described in technical discussions of distributed systems. It is intended to provide compact, verifiable links between digital objects across heterogeneous platforms, improving provenance tracking, interoperability, and scalability of linked data.

Core idea: each object is referenced by a 14-character link token derived from a cryptographic commitment to the object's canonical form. The token serves as a persistent handle that routes to the object's data without exposing its full content.

Architecture: The protocol specifies three layers: identifier generation, link dissemination, and link verification. Identifiers are formed by hashing the object's content and metadata and truncating the digest to 14 characters. Resolution relies on a distributed registry or trusted resolver; verification uses digital signatures and content-addressable storage to ensure the link points to the intended version.

Implementation and adoption: As a concept, 14linked has appeared in prototypes and speculative proposals. There is no widely adopted standard, and implementations vary in the choice of registry, hashing function, and privacy protections.

Advantages and challenges: Proponents cite reduced link size, improved routing efficiency, and easier offline linking. Critics note potential collisions in short tokens, centralization risk in registries, and privacy concerns from linkability.

See also: Linked data, content-addressable storage, decentralized identifiers.