> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.empe.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.empe.io/getting-started/intro.md).

# Introduction

Empeiria's **End-to-End Verifiable Data Infrastructure (EVDI)** is a complete platform for building applications with Self-Sovereign Identity. This section takes you from zero to issuing and verifying your first credential.

## What is EVDI?

EVDI is the infrastructure layer that lets you add cryptographically verifiable data to any application without building your own identity stack or wrestling with evolving standards. It provides standards-based services and REST APIs to:

* **Create decentralized identifiers** — generate `did:web` and `did:key` (Ed25519) DIDs, with DID documents served for you over HTTPS.
* **Define credential schemas** — describe the claims a credential carries and the formats it supports.
* **Issue Verifiable Credentials** over **OpenID4VCI**, in **SD-JWT VC** and **JWT-VC-JSON** formats.
* **Verify presentations** over **OpenID4VP**, using DCQL or DIF Presentation Exchange queries.

All of this runs as off-chain services, so you can issue and verify credentials in real time through a standards-based API.

This platform issues and verifies credentials off-chain with `did:web` and `did:key`. The `did:empe` method and EMPE blockchain are separate components of the wider Empeiria ecosystem — see [EVDI Architecture](/understand/intro.md).

From here, try the [live demo](/getting-started/quickstart.md) to see credentials in action, or follow the [Tutorial](/getting-started/tutorial.md) to build issuance and verification into your own app.


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