PID Providers
Persistent identifiers (PIDs) are provided by different organizations, so-called PID providers. While often one provider focuses on one type of PID, a provider may offer several different types of PIDs. Vice versa, one type of PID can be offered by more than one provider — as in the case of DOIs — or be exclusive to one particular provider — as in the case of ORCID iDs. The following table gives an overview of PID providers and the PIDs they offer. Please note that this list is not comprehensive and is a work in progress. We welcome any suggestions for additional PIDs or providers.
Not sure which PID fits your use case? Try our PID Selection Tool or browse the PID4NFDI Cookbook for practical guidance on individual PID types.
| Logo | Provider | PID type | For what entities | How to join / register | Cookbook entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ARK Alliance | ARK (Archival Resource Key) | Datasets, text publications, images, software, and other digital objects | Free NAAN registration | ARK |
 | Crossref | DOI | Text publications, datasets, software, reports, conference papers | Institutional membership (fee) | DOI |
 | DataCite | DOI | Datasets, software, instruments, text publications, and other research outputs | Institutional membership (fee) | DOI |
 | DNB (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek) | URN (Uniform Resource Name) | Text publications, datasets, websites | Free, institutional namespace request | — |
 | ePIC (Persistent Identifier Consortium for eResearch) | ePIC Handle | Datasets, instruments, digital objects, software | Institutional membership (fee) | ePIC |
 | FactGrid | FactGrid QID | Persons, organisations, historical objects, events — primarily for humanities research | Free account registration | FactGrid |
 | GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei) | GND-ID | Persons, organisations, places, subjects, works | Free, requires GND network membership or cooperation agreement | GND |
 | IGSN e.V. / DataCite | IGSN ID | Physical samples, material objects | Institutional membership (fee, via DataCite) | IGSN |
 | ORCID | ORCID iD | Persons (researchers) | Free individual registration | ORCID |
 | PIDA (Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration) | PURL (Persistent URL) | Semantic artifacts (ontologies, terminologies, schemas) | Free registration | PIDA |
 | PIDINST / RDA (via DataCite or ePIC) | DOI or ePIC Handle | Instruments | Institutional membership (fee, via DataCite or ePIC) | PID for Instruments |
 | RAiD / ARDC | RAiD | Research projects and activities | Free service; institutional sign-up via ARDC or regional Registration Agency | RAiD |
 | ROR (Research Organization Registry) | ROR ID | Organisations (research institutions) | Free, editorial review process | ROR |
 | Software Heritage | SWHID | Software, source code | Free, no registration required for archiving | — |
 | Wikidata | Wikidata QID | Persons, organisations, concepts, places, and many other entity types | Open, no registration required | Wikidata |
This list is sorted alphabetically by provider name. It is a work in progress — entries marked “—” do not yet have a Cookbook article. Suggestions and corrections are welcome.