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Use cases
What is Proof for?
Whenever you need to prove something existed at a specific time, and that nobody changed it afterward.
Use Case 1
Protect Your Ideas
The Problem
You came up with a brilliant idea, design, or invention. How do you prove it was yours first if someone copies it later?
How Proof Helps
Save your idea as a proof. The blockchain records the moment it existed, long before anyone else might claim it.
Sarah is an inventor who came up with a clever new garden tool. Before showing it to a manufacturer, she wrote down the design and saved it as a proof. Six months later, when a competitor released a nearly identical product, Sarah could prove she had the design first.
How to do it
- Type or upload your idea, sketch, or design
- Sign it with your DigiByte wallet to link it to your identity
- Publish it and save it permanently to the blockchain
Examples
- Inventors documenting a new product design
- Writers timestamping a story or screenplay
- Designers protecting a logo or artwork
- Researchers establishing priority on a discovery
Use Case 2
Verify Important Documents
The Problem
You signed a contract, agreement, or important record. How do you prove later that nobody altered a single word?
How Proof Helps
Create a proof of the document. Anyone can check it at any time. If even one comma changes, the check will instantly show it.
Robert signed a roofing contract with a fixed price. Months later, the contractor claimed the original quote was higher and tried to charge extra. Robert had created a proof of the signed PDF the day he received it. By checking the original against his proof's certificate, he proved instantly that the contractor's new copy didn't match, and won the dispute without a lawyer.
How to do it
- Upload the document file (PDF, image, etc.)
- Proof creates a unique fingerprint
- If anyone changes a single character, the fingerprint won't match
Examples
- Contracts and legal agreements
- Insurance claims and supporting documents
- Receipts and proof of purchase
- Wills, deeds, and important records
Use Case 3
Settle Disputes With Evidence
The Problem
Someone claims "you said this" or "you sent that on the wrong day." How do you prove what really happened, and when?
How Proof Helps
Save key communications, photos, or messages as proofs. You'll have permanent, verifiable evidence that nobody can dispute.
Linda was selling her car. Before handing over the keys, she took clear photos of the dashboard, body, and interior, and saved them as proofs. A week later, the buyer claimed there was a scratch she hadn't disclosed. Linda's proofs showed the car was perfect when she sold it, with timestamps the buyer couldn't argue with.
How to do it
- Take photos or save messages right away
- Create a proof immediately: timestamps matter
- Keep the original photos safe in case you need to verify
Examples
- Photos showing condition of an item before sale
- Email exchanges and important conversations
- Inspection reports and damage records
- Time-sensitive submissions and deadlines
Why not just email it to myself?
People often try to prove something existed by emailing it to themselves, taking a screenshot, or saving it to the cloud. None of these actually prove anything. Here's why:
Emailing yourself
Email timestamps can be forged. You control your inbox, and you could draft an email at any time. It's not independent proof.
Screenshots
Screenshot timestamps come from your computer's clock, which you can change. They don't prove when something actually existed.
Cloud storage
Files in the cloud can be edited or deleted. The 'last modified' date can be changed. The provider could lose your data.
Proof
Proofs are recorded by an independent server with a real timestamp, then permanently saved to a public blockchain. Nobody, not even DigiStamp, can change or delete them. Anyone can verify them.
Common questions
- Can someone forge a proof?
- No. A stamped proof is anchored to the DigiByte blockchain, a public record maintained by thousands of computers worldwide. There's no way to fake a date that's already in the blockchain history.
- What if your website goes down?
- A stamped proof exists on the blockchain, not just our website. Keep its data download: with it and your original, anyone with a DigiByte explorer can check the proof without DigiStamp.
- Do I need to be tech-savvy?
- No. If you can use email and a smartphone, you can use Proof. You sign in with a DigiByte wallet app, and the whole process takes a few minutes.
- How private is this?
- Prove a file and its contents stay private: the file is never saved, only its name and a unique fingerprint, and only fingerprints go on the blockchain. Text you type in is kept only if you choose to store it; stored text is shown on the certificate, so anyone with the link can read it.
- What does it cost?
- Creating, publishing, signing and checking a proof are free. Saving it permanently to the blockchain costs 250 DGB (DigiByte) per proof on this site, shown on the proof page before you pay. That's a one-time fee. Once saved, it's there forever.
Honest disclaimer
Proof is a powerful tool, but it's important to understand what it does and doesn't do:
What Proof does
- Proves content existed at a specific time
- Proves the content hasn't been changed
- Links the proof to your wallet's signature
- Stores it permanently on a public blockchain
What Proof doesn't do
- Replace legal advice or a lawyer
- Prove something is true or accurate
- Store your actual files (only fingerprints)
- Guarantee a court will accept it as evidence
Proof provides cryptographic timestamps, not legal validity. For important matters, always consult a qualified professional.
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