What is the "identifiers" attribute in the REST API?

In the REST API, the identifiers attribute contains alternateIdentifier metadata and is equivalent to the alternateIdentifiers property in the DataCite Metadata Schema.

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The identifiers attribute in the REST API is unrelated to the mandatory identifier property in the DataCite Metadata Schema.

The identifiers attribute is always returned by the REST API when retrieving DOI metadata. The alternateIdentifiers attribute, which contains the same metadata as the identifiers attribute although with differently named sub-attributes, is returned only under certain conditions. For example, when creating a DOI, retrieving a single DOI's metadata, or when the ?detail=true URL parameter is appended to requests to the /dois endpoint.

When creating or updating DOI alternateIdentifier metadata, the REST API accepts values in either the alternateIdentifiers or identifiers attributes. Including metadata in either attribute will populate the identifiers and alternateIdentifiers attributes in the REST API response and the alternateIdentifiers property in DataCite XML.

Example JSON payload using the identifiers attribute to update a DOI's alternateIdentifier metadata:

{
    "data": {
        "type": "dois",
        "attributes": {
            "identifiers": [
                {
                    "identifier": "urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-426160",
                    "identifierType": "URN"
                }
            ]
        }
    }
}

Example JSON payload using the alternateIdentifiers attribute to update a DOI's alternateIdentifier metadata:

{
    "data": {
        "type": "dois",
        "attributes": {
            "alternateIdentifiers": [
                {
                    "alternateIdentifier": "urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-426160",
                    "alternateIdentifierType": "URN"
                }
            ]
        }
    }
}

When creating or updating DOI alternateIdentifier metadata using the REST API, if an identifiers attribute is included in your request, any metadata sent in the alternateIdentifiers attribute will be ignored.