DOIs

Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a persistent, unique alphanumeric string assigned to a digital object, such as a journal article, dataset, report, or other scholarly content. A DOI provides a stable link to the object and supports reliable citation and discovery, even if the object's location changes.

DOIs have a two-part syntax: a prefix issued to the registration agency and registrant, and a suffix chosen by the registrant, separated by a slash. The standard form begins with 10., for example 10.1038/nature12373. The prefix 10.xxxx identifies the registrant, while the suffix is managed by the registrant and may include letters, numbers, and punctuation. DOIs are resolved through the DOI system, typically via the resolver at https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.

DOIs are administered by registration agencies such as Crossref and DataCite under the oversight of the International DOI Foundation. Publishers, libraries, and data repositories assign DOIs and provide associated metadata, including title, authors, publication date, and resource type.

In practice, DOIs are cited in scholarly references and used to locate the work. A DOI is a persistent identifier; it remains the stable reference even if the object's URL changes. The DOI itself is not the location but can be resolved to a current URL through doi.org or via the metadata maintained by registrants; proper maintenance by registrants is required for long-term persistence.

Although most common in scholarly publishing, DOIs are also assigned to datasets, reports, and other digital objects. They are a practical tool for attribution and access but should be understood as identifiers linked to metadata and location records rather than guarantees of permanence.