RFC

Request for Comments

Website	[RFC Editor Official website]

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Request for Comments (RFC) is a type of publication from the principal technical development and standards-setting bodies for the Internet, most prominently the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Society (ISOC). An RFC is a memorandum published by the RFC Editor describing methods, behaviors, research, or innovations applicable to the working of the Internet and Internet-connected systems.

History

The RFC series was initiated in 1969 by Steve Crocker of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to help record and share the ideas and concepts that were being developed as part of the ARPANET project, the precursor to the modern Internet. The first RFC, titled "Host Software," was written by Crocker and published on April 7, 1969.

Purpose and Process

RFCs cover a wide range of topics related to computer networking, including protocols, procedures, programs, and concepts, as well as meeting notes, opinions, and sometimes humor. RFCs are authored by engineers and computer scientists in the form of a memorandum describing methods, behaviors, research, or innovations applicable to the working of the Internet and Internet-connected systems.

The process of creating an RFC begins with the submission of a draft document, known as an Internet-Draft, to the IETF. This draft is reviewed and discussed by the relevant working groups and, if it gains consensus, is published as an RFC. Some RFCs are informational, while others are standards-track documents that may eventually become Internet Standards.

Structure

RFCs are numbered sequentially, and once published, an RFC is never revised. If the content of an RFC needs to be updated, a new RFC is published with a new number. Each RFC is assigned a unique number and, once published, is never revised. If the content of an RFC needs to be updated, a new RFC is published with a new number.

RFCs are available to the public at no charge and can be accessed through the RFC Editor's website. They are published in plain text format, although some may also be available in other formats such as PDF or HTML.

Notable RFCs

Some RFCs have become particularly well-known and influential in the development of the Internet. For example:

• RFC 791: Internet Protocol (IP)
• RFC 2616: Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1
• RFC 5246: The Transport Layer Security (TLS) Protocol Version 1.2

Also see

• Internet Engineering Task Force
• Internet Society
• Internet Standard
• Internet Protocol
• Transmission Control Protocol

External links

• RFC Editor
• Internet Engineering Task Force