# Create a DID Follow these instructions to create a new DID and publish the associated DID Document on cheqd ledger. > ⚠️ **Before you begin...** > > Make sure you've correctly [configured the cheqd plugin's agent settings](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/sdk/veramo/setup) for Veramo CLI ## Instructions ## 1. Create your identity keys within a DID Document template The first step is generating a template for your DID Document, including a new DID and associated public/private key pair. This process also aligns with method 1 [in the key management guide](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/sdk/veramo/dids/identity-keys). > It is important to note that this step does not create your DID on ledger, but it generates your identity keys as a draft DID Document for you to use in the on-ledger transaction in [Step 3](#3-create-new-did-and-publish-diddoc). ### Command (inline) You can use the following command in your CLI to create your DIDDoc and associated identity keys: ```bash veramo execute -m cheqdGenerateDidDoc --argsJSON '{"verificationMethod": "JsonWebKey2020", "methodSpecificIdAlgo": "uuid", "network": "testnet"}' ``` ### Command (pass as file) You can pass the payload of the inputs and arguments as a file rather than inline using: ``` veramo execute -m cheqdGenerateDidDoc --argsFile path/to/exampleFile.json ``` You can reuse this example file: {% file src="" %} Example file for creating DID Document template {% endfile %} ### Inputs and arguments Within this command, you are able to choose from the following inputs below to produce different types of DIDDocs:
verificationMethod * Ed25519VerificationKey2020 * JsonWebKey2020 * Ed25519VerificationKey2018
methodSpecificIdAlgo * base58btc * uuid
network * mainnet * testnet
### Expected output Once you have submitted the command above, you should receive a DID Document draft template, including a set of identity keys, including your chosen inputs and arguments. You can find an example of this output below:
Example output ```json Method: cheqdGenerateDidDoc Arguments: { "argsObj": { "verificationMethod": "Ed25519VerificationKey2020", "methodSpecificIdAlgo": "uuid", "network": "testnet" } } Result : { "didDoc": { "context": [], "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:e43f36e4-9fa6-40a4-a8f9-7f7b49eb44db", "controller": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:e43f36e4-9fa6-40a4-a8f9-7f7b49eb44db" ], "authentication": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:e43f36e4-9fa6-40a4-a8f9-7f7b49eb44db#key-1" ], "assertionMethod": [], "capabilityInvocation": [], "capabilityDelegation": [], "keyAgreement": [], "alsoKnownAs": [], "verificationMethod": [ { "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:e43f36e4-9fa6-40a4-a8f9-7f7b49eb44db#key-1", "type": "Ed25519VerificationKey2020", "controller": "did:cheqd:testnet:e43f36e4-9fa6-40a4-a8f9-7f7b49eb44db", "publicKeyMultibase": "z2yJuNbhoUpRn7ypAugSLzkCc8QEw146RJ8DD3jzCZQ6A", "publicKeyJwk": [] } ], "service": [] }, "versionId": ""07109dba-7582-491e-9c17-8fadbdabb304", "keys": { "publicKeyHex": "XXXX", "privateKeyHex": "XXXXXXXX", "kid": "XXXX", "type": "Ed25519" } } ```
You can then use this template to populate your `payload.json` file in [Step 2](#2-prepareedit-diddoc-contents). ### Unexpected output After running the above command, if you see an unexpected error, follow our [DID Operations Troubleshooting Guide](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/sdk/veramo/dids/troubleshooting) to fix it. A common error is: ```bash Unexpected token v in JSON at position 1 ``` ## 2. Prepare/edit DIDDoc contents Once you have created a template for your DIDDoc and generated your keys, and before creating a DID on-ledger, you will need to prepare the `payload.json` file. This file can be saved where ever you choose, but the location must be specified in the create DID command used in [Step 3](#3-create-new-did-and-publish-diddoc). (By default, it will be saved under the project root directory.) You should copy and paste the output of [Step 1](#1-create-your-identity-keys-within-a-did-document-template) as an initial starting template for your `payload.json` file. ### Example of `payload.json` files The below examples show the variation in syntax for different verification method key types in the DIDDoc payload file itself. Note that each key type has a slightly different output.
Ed25519VerificationKey2018 ```json { "kms": "local", "alias": "Veramo specific name of your DIDDoc", "document": { "context": [], "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:", "controller": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:" ], "verificationMethod": [{ "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:#key-1", "type": "Ed25519VerificationKey2018", "controller": "did:cheqd:testnet:", "publicKeyBase58": "H3C2AVvLMv6gmMNam3uVAjZpfkcJCwDwnZn6z3wXmqPV" }], "authentication": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:#key-1" ], "assertionMethod": [], "capabilityInvocation": [], "capabilityDelegation": [], "keyAgreement": [], "alsoKnownAs": [], "service": [] }, "versionId": "", // optional "keys": [{ "publicKeyHex": "", "privateKeyHex": "", "kid": "", "type": "Ed25519" // add additional key(s) if required }], "fee": { "amount": [{ "denom": "ncheq", "amount": "50000000000" }], "gas": "400000", "payer": "cheqd1rnr5jrt4exl0samwj0yegv99jeskl0hsxmcz96" // add the cheqd account the transaction will come from } } ```
Ed25519VerificationKey2020 ```json { "kms": "local", "alias": "Veramo specific name of your DIDDoc", "document": { "context": [], "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:", "controller": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:" ], "verificationMethod": [{ "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:#key-1", "type": "Ed25519VerificationKey2020", "controller": "did:cheqd:testnet:", "publicKeyMultibase": "z2yJuNbhoUpRn7ypAugSLzkCc8QEw146RJ8DD3jzCZQ6A" }], "authentication": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:#key-1" ], "assertionMethod": [], "capabilityInvocation": [], "capabilityDelegation": [], "keyAgreement": [], "alsoKnownAs": [], "service": [] }, "versionId": "", // optional "keys": [{ "publicKeyHex": "", "privateKeyHex": "", "kid": "", "type": "Ed25519" // add additional key(s) if required }], "fee": { "amount": [{ "denom": "ncheq", "amount": "50000000000" }], "gas": "400000", "payer": "cheqd1rnr5jrt4exl0samwj0yegv99jeskl0hsxmcz96" // add the cheqd account the transaction will come from } } ```
JSONWebKey2020 ```json { "kms": "local", "alias": "Veramo specific name of your DIDDoc", "document": { "context": [], "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:", "controller": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:" ], "verificationMethod": [{ "id": "did:cheqd:testnet:#key-1", "type": "JsonWebKey2020", "controller": "did:cheqd:testnet:", "publicKeyJwk": { "kty": "OKP", // external (property name) "crv": "Ed25519", // external (property name) "x": "VCpo2LMLhn6iWku8MKvSLg2ZAoC-nlOyPVQaO3FxVeQ" // external (property name) } }], "authentication": [ "did:cheqd:testnet:#key-1" ], "assertionMethod": [], "capabilityInvocation": [], "capabilityDelegation": [], "keyAgreement": [], "alsoKnownAs": [], "service": [] }, "versionId": "", // optional "keys": [{ "publicKeyHex": "", "privateKeyHex": "", "kid": "", "type": "Ed25519" // add additional key(s) if required }], "fee": { "amount": [{ "denom": "ncheq", "amount": "50000000000" }], "gas": "400000", "payer": "cheqd1rnr5jrt4exl0samwj0yegv99jeskl0hsxmcz96" // add the cheqd account the transaction will come from } } ```
### Parameters * `kms` (default `local`): Key Management System (KMS) to be used for storage. * `alias`: A human-friendly alias for the DID. Only used locally when referencing operations in Veramo CLI. * `document`: Full body of the DID Document * `versionId`: (optional): Custom versionId for the DID Document. If this is not set manually, then a UUID will be automatically generated for the DID Document version. * `keys`: Keys used to sign the DIDDoc. These must match the ones specified in the DIDDoc, otherwise an error will be thrown. * `fee` * `amount`: An array of coins, coins are represented as an object with 2 fields * `denom`: ncheq (smallest denomination classification) * `amount`: **50000000000** (This is **50 CHEQ by default** and will not work with a different value) * `gas`: Each transaction must specify the maximum amount of gas it may consume. * `payer` (optional): The cheqd fee payer address * `granter` (optional): The cheqd fee granter address, Provided the grantee has an allowance by the granter > Note that transaction fees are paid by the cheqd account set in the `agent.yml` configuration file, [setup here](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/sdk/veramo/setup). Each of cheqd's on-ledger identity transactions has a **fixed fee,** [the pricing for cheqd DIDs and DID-Linked Resources can be found here](https://docs.cheqd.io/node/architecture/adr-list/adr-005-genesis-parameters#cheqd-module-did-module). If your account has insufficient balance the transaction will fail. ### 3. Create new DID and publish DIDDoc ```bash veramo execute -m cheqdCreateIdentifier --argsFile path/to/payload.json ``` If you do not specify the `--argsFile`, you can also paste a JSON inline argument object by using the `--argsJSON` flag followed by the JSON payload. ## Next steps If your transaction is successful, you'll receive a success message along with the transaction details. You can [query your DID using the instructions here to see the representation of your DID Document](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/sdk/veramo/dids/query-did) on-ledger. ### Troubleshooting 1. If you are using testnet, you can top-up your testnet balance using our [testnet faucet](https://testnet-faucet.cheqd.io/). 2. You can also configure your Leap wallet to [support cheqd testnet using the instructions here](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/network/wallets/setup-leap-wallet/testnet). 3. If you are using mainnet, you can [purchase CHEQ tokens here](https://cheqd.io/buy). 4. Check out our [troubleshooting guide for DID Operations](https://docs.cheqd.io/product/sdk/veramo/dids/troubleshooting) to see common errors and fixes.