How RFCs Are Created

RFCs are the result of collaborative processes that involve writing, discussion, review, revision, and approval.

Documents published as RFCs begin as Internet-Drafts (I-Ds). An Internet-Draft is a working document, not an RFC, and publication as an Internet-Draft does not mean that a document has been approved or will eventually become an RFC.

The IETF process

Most RFCs are published through the IETF Stream. The IETF develops Internet standards and other technical documents through an open process in which participants discuss proposals, identify technical issues, review implementations and experience, and work toward consensus.

Most IETF work takes place in working groups focused on particular areas of Internet technology. A proposal may begin with an individual Internet-Draft and be brought to a working group for consideration. If the working group decides to take on the work, the draft may be adopted as a working group document.

Adoption is only one stage in the process. A working group document is typically discussed and revised many times as participants review its technical details and work through disagreements and open questions.

Rough consensus is an important part of the IETF process. Decisions are not made by counting votes. Instead, working group chairs assess whether the group has reached broad agreement and whether significant technical objections have been adequately considered.

Before a document can be approved for publication, it goes through additional steps which may include reviews by specialists in areas such as security, operations, internationalization, and other technical areas. Documents that advance beyond the working group receive broader IETF and Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) review.

The exact path varies depending on the document and the issues that arise during review. Drafts may be substantially revised, returned for additional work, or ultimately not published.

Refer to this more detailed overview of the IETF standards process for more information.

Interested in participating?

The IETF process is free and open to participation. You do not need to work for a particular company or organization, and much of the work takes place asynchronously through public mailing lists. There are also three in-person IETF meetings each year, but you do not need to attend these to participate fully.

If you have an idea for a new protocol, a change to an existing technology, or another proposal that might be appropriate for the IETF, a useful first step is to learn about Internet-Drafts and how to participate in their development.

Other ways documents become RFCs

Not every RFC is produced through the IETF standards process. The RFC Series has several publication streams, each with its own purpose and approval process.

IRTF Stream

The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) focuses on longer-term research related to the Internet. Most of its work takes place in Research Groups.

IRTF RFCs generally report research results, describe experiments, or document technologies and ideas of interest to the Internet research community. They are not IETF standards and publication does not imply IETF consensus.

Learn more about the IRTF.

Independent Stream

The Independent Stream provides a path for publishing some documents that are relevant to the Internet community but are outside the IETF and IRTF publication processes.

An author seeking publication through the Independent Stream first publishes an Internet-Draft and submits it to the Independent Submissions Editor (ISE). The document is evaluated and reviewed, and revisions may be required.

Independent Stream RFCs do not represent IETF or community consensus and are not Internet Standards.

Learn more about Independent Submissions.

From approved draft to published RFC

Regardless of publication stream, approved documents are sent to the RFC Production Center (RPC) for final editing and publication.

During this process, RPC editors review the document and work with its authors to address editorial questions and improve grammar, consistency, clarity, and presentation. Authors review and approve changes and perform a final review of the document before publication.

The completed document is then assigned an RFC number and officially published in the RFC Series on rfc-editor.org.

Writing an Internet-Draft

Information about the required format, authoring tools, submitting drafts, and maintaining an Internet-Draft is available at Internet-Draft Author Resources.