RFC 2717 (rfc2717) - Page 1 of 10
Registration Procedures for URL Scheme Names
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group R. Petke
Request for Comments: 2717 UUNET Technologies
BCP: 35 I. King
Category: Best Current Practice Microsoft Corporation
November 1999
Registration Procedures for URL Scheme Names
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the
Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document defines the process by which new URL scheme names are
registered.
1.0 Introduction
A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is a compact string representation
of the location for a resource that is available via the Internet.
RFC 2396 [1] defines the general syntax and semantics of URIs, and,
by inclusion, URLs. URLs are designated by including a ":"
and then a "". Many URL schemes are already
defined, however, new schemes may need to be defined in the future in
order to accommodate new Internet protocols and/or procedures.
A registration process is needed to ensure that the names of all such
new schemes are guaranteed not to collide. Further, the registration
process ensures that URL schemes intended for wide spread, public use
are developed in an orderly, well-specified, and public manner.
This document defines the registration procedures to be followed when
new URL schemes are created. A separate document, RFC 2718,
Guidelines for URL Schemes [2], provides guidelines for the creation
of new URL schemes. The primary focus of this document is on the
portion of new URL schemes, referred to as the "scheme name"
throughout this document.
Petke & King Best Current Practice