The DOI was developed to provide a persistent, unique identifier for digital objects, to ensure that these objects can be consistently and reliably referenced and located over time, regardless of changes in their physical location or format.
The DOI system was designed to address several challenges associated with digital content:
1. Volatility: Digital objects can be easily copied, moved, or deleted, making it difficult to maintain a consistent and reliable reference to them over time.
2. Lack of Standards: There was a lack of standardized methods for identifying and referencing digital objects, which led to confusion and inconsistency in how digital content was cited and shared.
3. Version Control: Digital objects can change or be updated over time, making it challenging to keep track of different versions and to ensure that users are accessing the most current version.
The DOI system was created to provide a solution to these challenges by assigning a unique, persistent identifier to each digital object. This identifier is independent of the object's physical location, format, or any changes that may occur over time. DOIs are managed and maintained by the International DOI Foundation (IDF), which ensures the long-term availability and reliability of the DOI system.
By using DOIs, researchers, scholars, and other users can easily and consistently identify and access digital objects, regardless of their location or format. DOIs also facilitate the tracking of citations, sharing of research data, and preservation of digital content for future use.