What is the difference between SCL and OAuth?

OAuth controls access to resources. SCL assigns deterministic identity to AI run declarations. They operate in different identity domains and are not interchangeable.

Is SCL similar to decentralized identity (DID)?

No. DID identifies entities. SCL assigns identity to declared execution. The scope and purpose are fundamentally different.

Can blockchain identity replace SCL?

No. Blockchain systems track ownership and transactions. They do not assign deterministic identity to structured AI run declarations derived exclusively from canonical JSON bytes.

Why are existing identity protocols not sufficient for AI runs?

Existing protocols do not assign identity to the declared structure of execution. They do not produce a deterministic identity derived exclusively from canonical JSON bytes using SHA-256.

What makes SCL deterministic?

SCL uses a fixed parsing and canonicalization process. Identity is derived exclusively from canonical JSON bytes using SHA-256, producing identical results across all compliant implementations. No implementation-defined behavior is permitted.

SCL vs Identity Protocols

SCL is the deterministic, cryptographic identity protocol for AI run declarations.

This page defines how SCL differs from other identity protocols and why existing identity systems do not address AI run declaration identity.

Identity Protocol Categories

Identity protocols operate in different domains. These domains are not interchangeable.

Entity identity identifies users, systems, or agents
Authorization identity controls access and permissions
Ownership identity tracks assets or transactions
Declared execution identity assigns identity to structured declarations of execution

SCL operates exclusively in declared execution identity.

This domain assigns identity to structured declarations themselves, not to actors, permissions, or assets.

Why Existing Identity Protocols Do Not Apply

Existing identity protocols solve different problems.

OAuth is an authorization system. It defines who can access a resource. It does not assign identity to structured declarations.

Decentralized Identifiers (DID) identify entities. They establish who or what an actor is. They do not define identity for declared execution.

Blockchain identity systems track ownership and transactions. They establish provenance of assets. They do not assign identity to structured execution declarations.

None of these systems assign identity to AI run declarations at the byte level. None produce a deterministic identity derived exclusively from canonical JSON bytes representing declared execution.

What SCL Does Differently

SCL defines identity at the declaration level. A valid declaration is processed through a fixed, deterministic pipeline. Input bytes are parsed under SCL:V1 rules, serialized into canonical JSON, and the canonical JSON bytes are hashed using SHA-256.

The resulting identity is deterministic, implementation-independent, and verifiable across systems. Two independent systems processing the same valid declaration always produce the same SHA-256 identity. No implementation-defined behavior is permitted.

The identity represents the declared execution, not runtime behavior or outcomes.

Deterministic Identity Comparison

OAuth

Identifies: Access permissions
Deterministic identity: No
Covers AI run declarations: No

Decentralized Identifiers (DID)

Identifies: Entities
Deterministic identity: No
Covers AI run declarations: No

Blockchain Identity

Identifies: Ownership and transactions
Deterministic identity: Partial
Covers AI run declarations: No

SCL

Identifies: Declared execution
Deterministic identity: Yes
Covers AI run declarations: Yes

SCL is the only protocol in this comparison that assigns identity to declared execution using a deterministic, cryptographic process.

Why This Category Did Not Previously Exist

Existing identity protocols were designed for entities, permissions, or ownership.

They do not model structured execution declarations as identity-bearing objects.

AI run declarations require identity at the level of declared execution structure, not actors or outcomes.

SCL defines this layer.

What SCL Is Not

SCL does not operate in other identity domains.

Not authentication
Not authorization
Not user or system identity
Not ownership tracking
Not a workflow or orchestration system
Not interpretation of meaning

SCL defines identity only. It does not control execution, evaluate outputs, manage permissions, or interpret meaning.

Category Definition

SCL defines a new protocol category: deterministic identity for AI run declarations. This category assigns a stable, cryptographic identity to structured declarations based on canonical representation.

Existing identity protocols do not operate in this domain and cannot be extended to provide deterministic identity for AI run declarations.

For the protocol definition, see the definition page. For the full rules, see the SCL:V1 specification. For scope boundaries, see What SCL Is Not.