Certifi - Blockchain-Powered Credential Verification on Stacks

Restoring Global Trust in Academic Credentials

Overview

Certifi is a revolutionary blockchain-powered platform built on Stacks that restores global trust in academic credentials through:

• Tamper-Proof Certificates: Immutable blockchain storage ensures certificates cannot be forged
• Instant Verification: Real-time credential verification in seconds, globally accessible 24/7
• Complete Ecosystem: Institution registration, student certificate issuance, employer verification tools, and comprehensive audit trails

The Problem

African academic institutions face a critical trust crisis globally:

• Delayed hiring processes due to lengthy verification procedures
• Millions in fraud losses from fake certificates and credentials
• Loss of opportunities for qualified African graduates
• Erosion of trust in African educational institutions

The Solution

Certifi leverages blockchain technology to create an immutable, transparent, and instantly verifiable credential system.

🏗 System Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│           Stacks Blockchain (Bitcoin-Secured)           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                         │
│  ┌──────────────────┐      ┌──────────────────┐        │
│  │   Institutions   │      │   Credentials    │        │
│  │    Contract      │      │    Contract      │        │
│  └──────────────────┘      └──────────────────┘        │
│         │                           │                   │
│         ├─ Register Institution     ├─ Issue Credential │
│         ├─ Verify Institution       ├─ Verify Credential│
│         └─ Manage Verifiers         └─ Revoke Credential│
│                                                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
         │                           │
         ▼                           ▼
    ┌─────────┐              ┌──────────────┐
    │Students │              │ Employers    │
    └─────────┘              └──────────────┘

🛠 Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16+)
• Clarinet
• Git

🚀 Installation

git clone <repository-url>
cd certifi-stacks
npm install

📜 Smart Contracts

certifi-institutions.clar

Manages institution registration and verification:

• register-institution: Register a new educational institution
• add-verifier: Add a verifier (contract owner only)
• verify-institution: Verify an institution's credentials
• get-institution: Retrieve institution details
• is-institution-verified: Check verification status

certifi-credentials.clar

Manages credential issuance and verification:

• issue-credential: Issue a new credential to a student
• verify-credential: Verify a credential's authenticity
• revoke-credential: Revoke a credential if needed
• get-credential: Retrieve credential details
• verify-credential-hash: Verify credential by hash

🧪 Testing

Run tests with:

npm run test

Generate coverage report:

npm run test:report

📝 Workflow

Institution Registration

1. Institution registers with Certifi
2. Verifier validates institution credentials
3. Institution becomes verified and can issue credentials

Credential Issuance

1. Verified institution issues credential to student
2. Credential is stored immutably on blockchain
3. Credential hash is generated for verification

Credential Verification

1. Employer requests credential verification
2. Credential is verified against blockchain hash
3. Verification result is returned instantly

🔐 Security Features

• Immutable Records: All credentials stored on Stacks blockchain
• Cryptographic Hashing: SHA-256 hashing for credential integrity
• Access Control: Role-based permissions for institutions and verifiers
• Revocation Support: Credentials can be revoked if needed
• Audit Trail: Complete history of all credential operations

📊 Key Metrics

• Total institutions registered
• Total credentials issued
• Total credentials revoked
• Active credentials count
• Verification success rate

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

📚 Documentation

Detailed documentation is available in the docs/ directory:

• System Architecture - Deep dive into smart contracts and data flow
• Deployment Guide - How to deploy to Testnet and Mainnet
• Write Functions Guide - Guide for state-changing operations
• Mainnet Interaction - How to query the system on Mainnet
• Chainhooks Setup - Tracking events with Hiro Chainhooks
• Complete Guide - Quick start and command reference

🧪 Testing

Run the comprehensive test suite:

npm run test:run

Generate coverage reports:

npm run test:report

🔐 Security Features

• Immutable Records: All credentials stored on Stacks blockchain
• Cryptographic Hashing: SHA-256 integrity verification
• Institution Verification: Only verified institutions can issue credentials
• Expiry Validation: Built-in credential expiration checks
• Access Control: Role-based permissions for revocation and management

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the ISC License.

🔗 Resources

• Stacks Documentation
• Clarity Language Guide
• Stacks Explorer Advanced features added including SBT and Batch Issuance.

Advanced Features (v2.0)

• Delegation System
• Credential Templates
• Institution Categories
• Endorsement System
• Achievement Badges

Deployment Status: Mainnet Live

\nAll contracts verified and live on Stacks Mainnet.