RFC 8040, "RESTCONF Protocol", January 2017

Note: This RFC has been updated by RFC 8527

Errata ID: 6363
Status: Rejected
Type: Technical
Publication Format(s) : TEXT
Reported By: Muly Ilan
Date Reported: 2020-12-22
Rejected by: Rob Wilton
Date Rejected: 2023-10-02

Section 4.8.2. says:

   By default, the server will include all sub-resources within a
   retrieved resource that have the same resource type as the requested
   resource.  The exception is the datastore resource.  If this resource
   type is retrieved, then by default the datastore and all child data
   resources are returned.

It should say:

   By default, the server SHOULD include all sub-resources within a
   retrieved resource that have the same resource type as the requested
   resource.  The exception is the datastore resource.  If this resource
   type is retrieved, then by default the datastore and all child data
   resources are returned.

Notes:

Substitute "will" by "SHOULD".

Use one of the keywords of RFC2119 to clarify the expected server behavior.
--VERIFIER NOTES--
The existing text is correct, and could probably be read equivalently to "the server MUST include". Changing "will" to "SHOULD" would change the meaning of the specification by giving flexibility for servers to not return sub-resources and yet still be compliant.

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