Credential types
Digital badge
A digital badge is a verifiable visual symbol of an achievement or skill that contains embedded metadata, who earned it, who issued it, the criteria met, and the date. Badges can be shared online, displayed on LinkedIn, and verified by clicking through to a hosted credential page.
Key takeaways
- A visual image plus embedded, verifiable metadata
- Based on the Open Badges standard
- Clickable and verifiable via a hosted page
- Stackable into pathways and larger credentials
- Strong for engagement and social reach
What is a digital badge?
A digital badge is a credential in the form of an image with verifiable data attached. The picture signals the achievement at a glance, while the embedded metadata makes it trustworthy and machine-readable.
Because badges follow a shared standard, the data travels with the badge wherever it is displayed or stored.
Why digital badges matter
Badges motivate learners, make skills visible, and give organizations reach: every time a badge is shared on LinkedIn or a profile, it links back to the issuer. They are an efficient way to recognize granular skills that a single certificate would not capture.
How digital badges work
Achievement information, issuer, criteria, evidence, and date, is encoded as Open Badges metadata tied to the badge image and a hosted credential record. Verifiers click the badge or scan its QR code to confirm the details on the issuer’s verification page.
Digital badge examples
Examples include a course-completion badge, a specific skill badge (such as “Data Analysis”), a membership or tier badge, and event-participation badges.
Digital badge vs digital certificate
A badge is compact, metadata-rich, and built for sharing and stacking. A certificate is document-style, often printed, and better suited to formal completion records. Many programs issue both.