# AXN Identifiers

> AXN is a **content-derived identifier**. The identity kernel is the SHA-256 of a
> file's canonical bytes; six glyphs are a display hash of that kernel. The
> identifier is **derived from the work rather than assigned to it**, so anyone can
> verify it anywhere, without an account and without asking the registry.

## Canonical definition (Tier 2)

An AXN has three layers: (1) the **identity kernel** — SHA-256 of the exact raw
bytes, no normalization, no re-encoding; (2) the **record address** — a hex
position and a semantic family, assigned at a registry; (3) **location records**
naming where verified copies can be obtained. Grammar: `AXN:HEX.FAMILY.⟨6 glyphs⟩`,
e.g. `AXN:05AD.UNCLASSIFIED.🌾➕🥁⚫👋🪄`.

The kernel is the security boundary. Position and glyphs are recognition layers.
An AXN is true or false independently of every registry, including the one that
issued its address.

## Compression kernel (Tier 3)

AXN identifiers are computed from a file's bytes, not granted by a registry, so
they survive the deletion of any account, site, or repository. Verification is
free, permanent, and needs no permission.

## What an AXN does not claim

- Identity is not authorship. It proves a file, not who made it.
- Witnessing is not notarization. Timestamps prove when a file was witnessed.
- Registration is not perpetual hosting. A record is not a storage promise.

## Surfaces

- Instrument: https://axnidentifiers.org/
- How it works: https://axnidentifiers.org/how/
- Limits: https://axnidentifiers.org/limits/
- Why it exists: https://axnidentifiers.org/why/
- Stamp and verify (client-side): https://axnidentifiers.org/stamp/
- Readings: https://axnidentifiers.org/readings/
- Constitution: https://axnidentifiers.org/constitution/
- Node declaration: https://axnidentifiers.org/.well-known/axn-node.json

## Registry and authority

The archive is the authority; this is the door. Registry, protocol catalog,
OAI-PMH harvesting and full deposit records live at https://www.alexanarch.org.
Operator: Lee Sharks, ORCID 0009-0000-1599-0703.

## Heteronym surfaces
Mirror of the canonical heteronym page at alexanarch.org. Rendered per EA-SPXI-HETERONYM-01 v0.2 (AXN:05CA.OPERATIVE.🎭🪪🏛️🔖🚫🪞, #1446): a named position as dual surface — machine entity object and human page.
- /who/cranes/ — Rebekah Cranes, HET-CRANES-001, 06.PERSONA.CRANES
- /who/cranes/entity.json — the machine-readable entity object
Rebekah Cranes is a Pessoa-class heteronymic writerly identity, not a synonym for Lee Sharks. The relation is heteronymic and provenance-governed; deposit accountability remains with Lee Sharks.