Manual: `F0af`_`[Identities ↗`a8d24177d946de4f1f0a0fe1af9a1338:/page/blob.mu`g=reticulum|r=reticulum|ref=HEAD|path=docs/markdown/understanding.md|anchor=understanding-identities]`_`f

An `!identity`! is a cryptographic key that represents some kind of `*verifiable entity`*, be it a person, program, robot, computer, sensor or something else. It is the basis for all encrypted communication over `F0af`_`[Reticulum`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Reticulum_Protocol]`_`f.`:cite-ref-1[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-1]`_`f]

An identity can be used to create any number of `F0af`_`[destinations`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Destination]`_`f.

An identity consists of a 512-bit Curve25519 keyset:

• A 256-bit X25519 key for ECDH key exchanges

• A 256-bit Ed25519 key for signatures

`*`!Note:`! It is important to store an identity's private keys securely and privately. The loss of an identity's private key would mean the loss of control over its destinations.`*

>>Contents

• `F0af`_`[Hash`#hash]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Files`#files]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[See also`#see-also]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f

>>Hash

Identities are represented by a 16-byte hash derived from truncating a full SHA-256 hash of the identity's public keys.

`B100`F9d9identity_hash = truncate(SHA256(concatenate(public_encryption_key, public_signing_key)))`f`b

It is displayed as hexadecimal bytes, for example: `B100`F9d9bc7291552be7a58f361522990465165c`f`b

>>Files

In `F0af`_`[RNS`:/page/wiki.mu`path=RNS]`_`f, the identity of the default `F0af`_`[instance`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Instance]`_`f is stored in `B100`F9d9~/.reticulum/storage/transport_identity`f`b. Other identities (such as `F0af`_`[network identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Network_identity]`_`f) are stored in the `B100`F9d9~/.reticulum/storage/identities`f`b directory.

>>See also

• `F0af`_`[Destination`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Destination]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Network identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Network_identity]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[rnid`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Rnid]`_`f

>>References

`:cite-note-1`!1.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-1]`_`f `*Identities`*, Manual. `F0af`_`[`a8d24177d946de4f1f0a0fe1af9a1338:/page/blob.mu`g=reticulum|r=reticulum|ref=HEAD|path=docs/markdown/understanding.md|anchor=identities] ↗`_`f

>>Reticulum concepts

`F0af`_`[Announce`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Announce]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Blackhole`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Blackhole]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Buffer`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Buffer]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Channel`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Channel]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Destination`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Destination]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Discovery`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Discovery]`_`f • Identity • `F0af`_`[Instance`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Instance]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Interface`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Interface]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Interface Access Code`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Interface_Access_Code]`_`f (IFAC) • `F0af`_`[Link`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Link]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Network identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Network_identity]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Node`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Node]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Packet`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Packet]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Path`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Path]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Propagation node`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Propagation_node]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Resource`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Resource]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Stamp`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Stamp]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Transport node`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Transport_node]`_`f

>>Identity

`!Source:`! `F0af`_`[Identity.py ↗`a8d24177d946de4f1f0a0fe1af9a1338:/page/blob.mu`g=reticulum|r=reticulum|ref=HEAD|path=RNS/Identity.py]`_`f

`!API:`! `F0af`_`[RNS.Identity ↗`a8d24177d946de4f1f0a0fe1af9a1338:/page/blob.mu`g=reticulum|r=reticulum|ref=HEAD|path=docs/markdown/reference.md|anchor=RNS.Identity]`_`f