DOIURL

DOIURL is a term used to describe a proposed standard for mapping digital object identifiers (DOIs) to directly resolvable URLs. In this concept, each DOI would have a corresponding URL that can be used to retrieve the associated object, while the DOI itself remains the authoritative, persistent identifier.

Purpose: DOIURL aims to simplify linking and retrieval in web environments and to provide a stable, human-readable path to the resource while preserving the DOI's persistence. It is intended to complement the existing DOI system by offering an explicit URL representation that can be embedded in web contexts and citations.

Structure and examples: A DOIURL would define a base resolver domain and a rule to append the DOI. For example, a DOI 10.1234/example might resolve through a hypothetical base such as https://doiurl.org/10.1234/example, or via a pattern like https://resolver.example/10.1234/example. A registry would maintain mappings and metadata to ensure accurate redirects and to surface related event data, such as versioning or embargo status.

Relation to existing systems: The current standard resolver for DOIs is https://doi.org/. DOIURL is presented as an alternate or complementary mechanism, potentially enabling URL-based access in contexts that expect direct hyperlinks. Adoption would require consensus among publishers, librarians, and standard bodies, and might involve interoperability with existing DOI infrastructure.

Advantages and challenges: Benefits include simpler access, improved link stability in cited hyperlinks, and easier indexation by search engines. Challenges include ensuring up-to-date redirections, avoiding duplicate or conflicting mappings, and coordinating governance across organizations to maintain long-term reliability.

Status: DOIURL is not an established standard in major citation ecosystems as of now. It appears in theoretical discussions about persistent access and URL-based representations of DOIs. See also DOI, URL, persistent identifier, DOI resolution.