ORCID, which stands for Open Researcher and Contributor ID, is a unique identifier assigned to individual researchers to distinguish them from other scholars with similar names. ORCID IDs are used to connect researchers with their scholarly and research activities, providing a persistent and distinct digital identity.

Key features of ORCID include:

• Unique Identifier: Each ORCID ID is a unique 16-digit alphanumeric code assigned to an individual researcher. This identifier remains constant throughout the researcher's career, regardless of changes in name, affiliation, or research focus.
• Integration with Research Outputs: Researchers can link their ORCID ID to their scholarly works, such as publications, datasets, and patents. This integration helps create a comprehensive and accurate record of an individual's research contributions.
• Interoperability: ORCID IDs are designed to work across various systems, platforms, and publishers. Researchers can use their ORCID ID to streamline and standardize the submission and tracking of their work across different research databases and systems.
• Privacy and Control: ORCID allows researchers to control the visibility of their information. Individuals can choose what information to include in their ORCID record and decide who has access to it.
• International Adoption: ORCID is widely adopted globally, with researchers, institutions, funding agencies, and publishers participating in the initiative. Many publishers and funding agencies now require or encourage authors to provide their ORCID ID during manuscript submission or grant application processes.
• Researcher Networking: ORCID facilitates improved collaboration and networking within the research community by connecting researchers with their contributions and affiliations in a standardized way.

Researchers can register for an ORCID ID for free, and it has become an important tool in the scholarly landscape for promoting transparency, accuracy, and attribution in research activities. Many academic and research institutions now encourage or require researchers to obtain an ORCID ID as part of their academic profiles.