| Sharing a URL/scanning a QR code | - The URL is lightweight and it does not require any local file storage.
- Easy to share e.g. via email, messages, or social media
- The user can click and view it in one step.
- The URL can be converted into QR code if required.
| - It needs an additional step to save the document after viewing.
- It requires hosting of the certificate.
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| Sending the original OA document | - The OA document follows a structured schema, which makes it machine-readable.
- The OA document is more lightweight than an HTML or a PDF file, thus requires less storage.
| - The user can’t open OA documents directly.
- It requires the user to upload the OA document to a verifier for viewing.
- The user needs instructions on what to do with an OA document, which makes it difficult for adoption.
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| Sending an HTML page (with an OA document embedded) | - The user can open HTML on most devices without installing any application.
- The HTML page takes up more storage than the OA document, but less than the PDF file.
| - The HTML page requires an extra step from the user to visit a URL.
- The user can be confused by having to load an HTML page and then opening it in a viewer.
- There is a limit to the size of the embedded OA document in the HTML page.
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| Sending the document as a PDF with a QR code for verification | - The user can open the PDF file on most devices without installing any application.
- The PDF file is a common document format to users.
| - The user is likely to take the document in PDF at it appears, without any proper verification.
- It requires hosting of the certificate.
- The PDF file requires the most storage among all listed methods.
- The PDF file is not machine-readable.
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