RFC Editor

RFC Editor
Name	RFC Editor
Founded	0 1969
Founder	Steve Crocker
Location	United States
Key people	Joyce K. Reynolds, Bob Braden, Sandy Ginoza
Parent	Internet Society
Website	https://www.rfc-editor.org

RFC Editor. The RFC Editor is the organization responsible for the final editing, publication, and archival of the Request for Comments (RFC) document series, which forms the principal technical and organizational documentation for the Internet. It operates under the auspices of the Internet Society and works in close coordination with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). The role is critical for maintaining the integrity, stability, and permanent accessibility of the canonical records defining Internet protocols, standards, and best practices.

History

The function originated with the very first Request for Comments, RFC 1, authored by Steve Crocker in 1969 within the context of the ARPANET project. Initially an informal editorial role performed by volunteers like Jon Postel at the UCLA Network Measurement Center and later at the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute, it became institutionalized. Following Jon Postel's death in 1998, the Internet Society and the IAB formalized the role, leading to a series of contracted organizations, including the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute, the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, and a consortium led by AMS-IX.

Function and responsibilities

Its primary duties include the final technical editing, formatting, and assignment of numbers to documents approved through the IETF standards process, as well as the publication of independent submissions from the IAB, IRTF, and other sources. The role ensures consistency in style and structure across the entire RFC series, maintains the official index, and preserves the archival record. It also manages the errata process and provides public access to all documents via its website and through partnerships with entities like the RFC Archive.

Organizational structure

Since 2009, the function has been performed under a long-term contract awarded by the Internet Society to a dedicated service provider. The operational team includes a lead, editors, and production staff. Oversight is provided by the RFC Series Oversight Committee (RSOC), which is chartered by the IAB and includes members from the IETF, IAB, and Internet Society. This structure separates the publication process from the technical standardization work of the IETF while ensuring alignment with the broader community's needs.

RFC series

The RFC series encompasses several distinct streams, including the IETF stream for standards-track and best current practice documents, the IAB stream for architectural and policy statements, the IRTF stream for research materials, and the independent submission stream. Documents are categorized into standards such as Internet Standard, Proposed Standard, Best Current Practice, Informational, and Experimental, each denoted by a unique status indicator. Landmark documents include the foundational TCP specification RFC 793 and the IP specification RFC 791.

Process and workflow

The workflow begins when a document is submitted after approval by the relevant body, such as the IESG for the IETF stream. The editorial team then performs a comprehensive review for formatting, references, and language clarity, interacting with authors and stream managers as needed. Following final edits and the assignment of a permanent RFC number, the document is published in plain text, PDF, and HTML formats. The entire process is designed to be transparent, with status updates publicly tracked through the RFC Editor's tools.

Impact and recognition

The RFC Editor's meticulous work underpins the global interoperability of the Internet by providing the definitive, version-controlled specifications for protocols like BGP, SMTP, and HTTP. Its archival role ensures the preservation of the Internet's technical history, including early notes from pioneers like Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn. The stability and trust in this process are widely recognized as a cornerstone of the Internet's open standards model, supported by institutions like the Internet Society and the World Wide Web Consortium.

Category:Internet standards Category:Internet governance Category:Technical communication