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Data sharing through WebIDs

How do WebIDs enable you to set up an ecosystem in which data can be shared?

Why rely on WebIDs for data sharing?

Today, most of the data that is digitally shared goes through non-standardised APIs and this leads to several disadvantages.
Data Sharing Today

Welcome to the API Jungle

  • Today, data is shared through a plethora of non-standardised APIs
  • APIs typically differ within and across companies
  • This leads to a multitude of problems

Consequences of non-standardised APIs

  • New ICT investment for each piece of data that is shared.
  • Each time, the user has a different user experience.
  • The user has no way to get an overview of all these connections.
  • Leads to a point-to-point architecture
This situation is somewhat comparable to when each company would build their own email client to exchange emails. Crazy, right?

Enter Solid and WebIDs

The WebID and Solid W3C specifications standardise data exchange and put the user in control.
Benefits of WebIDs and Solid

Open standards are king

  • Single ICT investment instead of investment per API
  • User can get a unified user experience
  • User can get an overview of all connections
  • Leads to a hub-and-spoke architecture
How to implement?

Three common options

a
Log in with WebID
b
Grant access to other WebID
c
Rely on third party app
a

Log in with WebID

  • Ask your partner to allow people to share data by logging in with their WebID.
  • In this case, people already need to have a WebID with relevant data.
  • Here, the data recipient initiates the journey.
b

Grant access to other WebID

  • Maintain a list of your partners' WebIDs and let your users share data with them from within your app.
  • In this case, you can give your users a WebID and share relevant data.
  • Here, the data producer initiates the journey
c

Rely on third party app

  • Rely on an (independent) third party to make sure the right data is shared with the right party at the right time.
  • The third party can give users a WebID and ask for relevant data.
  • Here, the third party initiates the journey.
  • Perfect to orchestrate complex journeys