RFC 2822 (rfc2822) - Page 1 of 51
Internet Message Format
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group P. Resnick, Editor
Request for Comments: 2822 QUALCOMM Incorporated
Obsoletes: 822 April 2001
Category: Standards Track
Internet Message Format
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2001). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This standard specifies a syntax for text messages that are sent
between computer users, within the framework of "electronic mail"
messages. This standard supersedes the one specified in Request For
Comments (RFC) 822, "Standard for the Format of ARPA Internet Text
Messages", updating it to reflect current practice and incorporating
incremental changes that were specified in other RFCs.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ............................................... 3
1.1. Scope .................................................... 3
1.2. Notational conventions ................................... 4
1.2.1. Requirements notation .................................. 4
1.2.2. Syntactic notation ..................................... 4
1.3. Structure of this document ............................... 4
2. Lexical Analysis of Messages ............................... 5
2.1. General Description ...................................... 5
2.1.1. Line Length Limits ..................................... 6
2.2. Header Fields ............................................ 7
2.2.1. Unstructured Header Field Bodies ....................... 7
2.2.2. Structured Header Field Bodies ......................... 7
2.2.3. Long Header Fields ..................................... 7
2.3. Body ..................................................... 8
3. Syntax ..................................................... 9
3.1. Introduction ............................................. 9
3.2. Lexical Tokens ........................................... 9
Resnick Standards Track