Claim Structure

Every atomic claim in the Swarm Network protocol follows a standardized structure that enables consistent processing, verification, and proof generation. Understanding this structure is essential for developers building applications that submit claims or consume verification results.

Claim Identifier

Each atomic claim receives a unique identifier generated when the claim is created. This identifier serves as a permanent reference that enables tracking the claim through its verification lifecycle, retrieving verification results, and referencing the claim in smart contracts or applications. The identifier is cryptographically derived from claim content, ensuring uniqueness while enabling verification that a given identifier corresponds to specific claim data.

The claim identifier format follows a structured pattern that encodes metadata about the claim type, creation timestamp, and cryptographic hash of claim content. This encoding enables efficient indexing and retrieval while maintaining security properties. Applications can use claim identifiers to query verification status, retrieve proofs, and reference verified facts in their logic.

Claim Statement

The claim statement articulates the specific fact being verified in a standardized, machine-readable format. Statements follow a subject-predicate-object structure that enables consistent parsing and interpretation. For example, “User_123 has income_range above $50,000” or “Document_ABC has authenticity_status valid” or “Event_XYZ has occurrence_date 2024-10-15.”

Statement standardization is critical for enabling automated processing. The protocol defines a claim statement language with specific syntax rules, supported data types, and semantic conventions. This language is expressive enough to represent diverse claim types while remaining structured enough for reliable machine processing. The statement language supports various data types including numerical values, date ranges, categorical classifications, and boolean assertions.

Supporting Evidence

Claims include references to supporting evidence that validators can examine during verification. Evidence may consist of document hashes, data source references, cryptographic signatures, or other artifacts that substantiate the claim. The protocol does not require that evidence be publicly accessible—private evidence can be verified through secure channels while maintaining confidentiality.

Evidence references are structured to enable efficient validation while preserving privacy. Rather than including raw evidence data in the claim structure, the protocol uses content-addressed references (cryptographic hashes) that enable validators to verify evidence integrity without exposing content. Validators with appropriate access permissions can retrieve and examine evidence, while the claim structure itself remains privacy-preserving.

Verification Requirements

Claims specify the verification requirements that must be satisfied for the claim to be considered verified. Requirements may include minimum confidence thresholds, required validator types (AI agents, human verifiers, or both), consensus mechanisms, and time constraints. These requirements enable claimants to specify appropriate verification rigor based on claim importance and risk tolerance.

Verification requirements are expressed in a declarative format that the protocol interprets when routing claims to validators. For example, a high-stakes financial claim might require verification by multiple specialized financial agents plus human review, with 90% consensus required for approval. A routine claim might require only basic AI agent verification with 70% consensus. This flexibility enables the protocol to balance verification quality, cost, and latency based on specific use case needs.

Privacy Specifications

Claims include privacy specifications that define what information can be revealed during and after verification. These specifications control which parties can access claim details, what information appears in generated proofs, and how verification results can be shared. Privacy specifications implement the principle of data minimization, ensuring that only necessary information is exposed.

The protocol supports various privacy levels ranging from fully public claims (where all details are visible) to completely private claims (where only the existence of a valid proof is revealed). Intermediate privacy levels enable selective disclosure, where specific claim attributes are revealed while others remain confidential. For example, a claim might prove that income exceeds a threshold without revealing the exact amount, or confirm document authenticity without exposing document contents.