> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://nuggets.life/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # The Nuggets Trust Model > Trust Architecture & Design Principles This page explains how the Nuggets trust model is implemented. Where [Key Concepts](https://docs.nuggets.life/overview/key-concepts) describes what trust means for autonomous systems - actions, authority, intent, consent, and accountability - this section focuses on the architectural choices and design principles that make that trust model possible in practice. These principles guide how Nuggets is built so that trust can: * operate across systems, clouds, and organisations * remain verifiable without centralised control * preserve privacy while supporting audit and compliance * integrate with existing infrastructure rather than replace it This is not a conceptual description of trust, and it is not a product overview. It describes the technical foundations that allow the Nuggets trust layer to be secure, interoperable, and production-ready for autonomous AI. ## Overview Nuggets addresses the challenge of trust in digital identity and autonomous AI through infrastructure built on decentralised identity, cryptographic verification, and privacy-preserving design. Rather than relying on centralised authorities or opaque control systems, Nuggets uses open standards and cryptographic techniques to enable verifiable trust across humans, organisations, machines, and AI agents - without requiring replacement of existing IAM, cloud, or enterprise platforms. ## Design Principles Nuggets’ architecture is guided by four foundational design principles. ### Open Standards Nuggets is built on open, widely adopted standards to ensure interoperability and avoid vendor lock-in. * Uses W3C standards such as Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs) * Integrates with existing identity, cloud, and enterprise ecosystems * Supports cross-vendor, cross-cloud, and cross-organisational deployments ### Cryptographic Trust Trust in Nuggets is established through cryptographic proof rather than reliance on central authorities. * Verifiable identities and credentials are cryptographically secured * Proof replaces assumption and implicit trust * Architecture supports regulatory and audit requirements without centralised control ### Privacy by Design Nuggets is designed to minimise data exposure while maximising verifiability. * Selective disclosure of attributes * Zero-knowledge techniques where appropriate * Proof of compliance and consent without disclosure of raw personal data * Reduced data retention and breach risk by design ### AI-Ready Infrastructure The architecture is purpose-built for environments where non-human actors take autonomous action. * Supports humans, organisations, machines, and AI agents as first-class actors * Designed for non-interactive, continuous operation * Scales across distributed, agent-driven systems ## Technical Foundations Nuggets is built on proven cryptographic and distributed systems technologies. ### Identity and Credential Standards **Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)**\ W3C standard for verifiable, self-managed digital identity **Verifiable Credentials (VCs)**\ Cryptographically secure, portable credentials used to prove attributes, authority, and relationships ### Enterprise Integration Standards **OpenID Connect (OIDC)**\ Federated authentication using existing enterprise identity providers **OAuth 2.0**\ Secure authorisation flows augmented with verifiable credentials and decentralised identity ### Cryptography and Security **Post-Quantum Encryption**\ Designed to remain secure as cryptographic threats evolve **Confidential Computing**\ Encrypted processing environments using Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) for sensitive operations ### Distributed Verification and Audit **Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Integration**\ Used for immutable verification, auditability, and integrity guarantees where appropriate (not for centralised data storage) ### AI Protocol Support * Model Context Protocol (MCP) * Agent-to-Agent (A2A) * Compatibility with emerging agent frameworks and protocols These foundations ensure Nuggets remains secure, interoperable, and adaptable as technology and regulation evolve. ## What This Architecture Enables The Nuggets trust architecture provides infrastructure that supports the entire lifecycle of autonomous action, without centralising control or data. It enables: * Verifiable identity without platform lock-in * Privacy-preserving proof rather than data disclosure * Cross-system trust without shared identity infrastructure * Auditability suitable for regulated and high-risk environments ## Relationship to the Trust Model To be explicit: * The Trust Model defines what must be true for an autonomous action to be trusted * The Trust Architecture defines how that truth can be proven If you are looking to understand: * why actions - not logins - are the unit of trust * how authority is evaluated at runtime * how compliance emerges as an outcome Start with [Key Concepts](https://docs.nuggets.life/overview/key-concepts) If you want to understand: * why Nuggets uses decentralised identity * how cryptographic proof replaces implicit trust * how privacy and audit coexist This page describes the architectural foundations that make that possible.