shortDOI: Short Links to DOI Names

shortDOI provides short links that stand in for DOI names, which are the persistent identifiers registered within the DOI System. The key facts factsheet published by The DOI Foundation lists shortDOI among the operational indicators of the system, stating that over 30 million shortDOI links to DOI names are in use. The same factsheet records approximately 275 million DOI names assigned to date and over 155,000 DOI name prefixes within the DOI System.

• Short links to DOI names
• Over 30 million shortDOI links in use
• Part of the operational DOI System
• Related to DOI names assigned by Registration Agencies worldwide

DOI names are actionable identifiers resolved through the DOI system Proxy Server at https://doi.org, which queries the Handle System and redirects the requesting browser to the registered URL. The proxy service supports HTTPS as well as HTTP requests, is accessible over IPv6 and supports DNSSEC. Existing DOI names are free to resolve, while the cost of registering new DOI names depends on the services purchased from a DOI Registration Agency.

• Preferred resolution address: https://doi.org
• Resolution handled by the DOI system Proxy Server
• Underlying infrastructure: the Handle System
• Existing DOI names are free to resolve

shortDOI appears as a question in the Frequently Asked Questions section of doi.org, alongside questions on obtaining a DOI, costs, Registration Agencies and standardisation. The FAQs state that they are not intended to replace the more detailed information available in the DOI Handbook, and they also point readers to the Glossary of Terms. Readers with further questions, or suggestions for additional FAQ entries, are invited to write to info@doi.org.

• FAQ item 11: "What is a shortDOI?"
• Fuller detail in the DOI Handbook
• Glossary of Terms for related definitions
• Enquiries: info@doi.org