Request for Comments

A Request for Comments (RFC; plurals Requests for Comments but RFCs) document is one of a series of numbered Internet informational documents and standards very widely followed by both commercial software and freeware in the Internet and Unix communities. They are now published under the aegis of the Internet Society (ISOC, an open organization whose mission is developing the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world) and its technical standards-setting bodies.

Related Topics:
Internet - Standards - Freeware - Unix - Internet Society

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The basic communication protocols which the Internet uses to operate are all specified in RFCs, for instance. However, RFCs cover many topics in addition to standards, such as introductions to new research ideas and status memos about the Internet. While few RFCs are standards, almost all Internet standards are recorded in RFCs.

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It is interesting to note that in most current contexts, RFCs are "requests for comments" in acronym only. All commentary and criticism toward a proposal should be made during the "Internet Draft" stage, before a formal RFC is produced. The term "RFC" has gradually evolved to mean the finalized document.

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