ORCID provides a unique, persistent digital identifier (known as an ORCID ID) that uniquely identifies each researcher, helping to differentiate them from others, particularly those with similar names. ORCID IDs are integrated into research workflows, such as manuscript and grant submissions, to establish clear connections between individuals and their scholarly activities in an open and publicly accessible manner.
Compared to other unique author ID systems like ResearcherID from Clarivate and Scopus Author Identifier from Elsevier, ORCID stands out for its universality. It is widely adopted and integrated by major publishers, including Clarivate and Elsevier, and is used in tools like the NIH's SciENcv biosketch tool.
