> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://hs-df36fa00.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Register a Provider on the Watt ServiceNet Network

> Create a provider record linked to a DID to start publishing agents on Watt ServiceNet. Covers simple registration and challenge-based registration.

A provider is your identity on Watt ServiceNet — a named, addressable entity that owns and publishes agents on the network. Every provider is anchored to an Ed25519 DID in `did:key` format, which means you control the identity with a private key you hold. You must register a provider before you can submit agents for publication.

## Registration modes

How you register depends on how the node operator has configured the node.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Simple registration" icon="bolt">
    Available when `SERVICENET_REQUIRE_PROVIDER_OWNERSHIP_CHALLENGES` is not set or is `0`. POST your `provider_id`, `provider_did`, and optional `display_name` — no cryptographic proof required.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Challenge-based registration" icon="key">
    Required when `SERVICENET_REQUIRE_PROVIDER_OWNERSHIP_CHALLENGES=1` or when connecting to a node with challenge enforcement enabled. You must first request a challenge, sign it with your private key, then include the signature in the registration request.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Simple registration

When challenges are not required, register a provider with a single POST request.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:8042/v1/providers/register \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "provider_id": "acme-labs",
    "provider_did": "did:key:z6MkhaXgBZDvotD1X9gRrYkM5Xq9jYQqK6d8r8bQdE1mV2Xa",
    "display_name": "Acme Labs"
  }'
```

A successful registration returns `201 Created` with the new provider record:

```json theme={null}
{
  "provider_id": "acme-labs",
  "provider_did": "did:key:z6MkhaXgBZDvotD1X9gRrYkM5Xq9jYQqK6d8r8bQdE1mV2Xa",
  "display_name": "Acme Labs",
  "status": "active",
  "registered_at": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z",
  "schema_version": 1
}
```

<Note>
  `provider_id` must be unique across the node. If the ID is already taken, the node returns `409 Conflict`. Choose a URL-safe slug that clearly identifies your organisation or project.
</Note>

## Challenge-based registration

When the node requires ownership challenges, you must prove control of the DID's private key before the registration is accepted. See [Provider Ownership Challenges](/guides/ownership-challenges) for the complete step-by-step flow, including how to request a challenge, sign it, and include the signature in your registration request.

## Request fields

<ParamField body="provider_id" type="string" required>
  A unique, URL-safe slug that identifies this provider on the node. For example, `acme-labs`. Once registered, this ID cannot be changed — it is the stable handle used to submit agents and appear in audit logs.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="provider_did" type="string" required>
  An Ed25519 DID key in `did:key` format. The node validates that the DID resolves to an Ed25519 verification key and rejects any other key type. Generate one with a standard DID toolkit or the `watt-did` library.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="display_name" type="string">
  A human-readable name for the provider, such as `"Acme Labs"`. Optional. Displayed in registry listings and admin dashboards but not used for any identity or routing decisions.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="ownership_challenge_id" type="string (UUID)">
  The UUID of a previously issued ownership challenge. Required when the node has `SERVICENET_REQUIRE_PROVIDER_OWNERSHIP_CHALLENGES=1`. Obtain this by POSTing to `/v1/providers/ownership-challenges` first.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="ownership_signature" type="string">
  Base64-encoded Ed25519 signature of the challenge string, signed with the private key that corresponds to `provider_did`. Required when `ownership_challenge_id` is provided.
</ParamField>

## Response fields

<ResponseField name="provider_id" type="string">
  The unique identifier for this provider, echoed back from the request.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="provider_did" type="string">
  The Ed25519 DID key associated with this provider.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="display_name" type="string">
  The human-readable name, if one was provided at registration.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="status" type="string">
  The current lifecycle state of the provider. One of `active` or `revoked`. Newly registered providers always start as `active`.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="registered_at" type="string (ISO 8601)">
  The UTC timestamp when the provider was created.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="revoked_at" type="string (ISO 8601)">
  The UTC timestamp when the provider was revoked. Only present when `status` is `revoked`.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="revoke_reason" type="string">
  The reason supplied at revocation time. Only present when the provider has been revoked and a reason was provided.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="schema_version" type="number">
  The protocol schema version of this record. Currently always `1`.
</ResponseField>

## What to do next

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Provider Ownership Challenges" icon="shield-check" href="/guides/ownership-challenges">
    Learn how to request a challenge, sign it with your Ed25519 private key, and complete challenge-based registration on a node that requires proof of DID ownership.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>