What is a RFC

You know those moments in projects when your colleagues come up with terms you don't know, but you have to pretend to follow the thread of the discussion. Well, I recently had one of those moments, when I heard about RFCs for the nth time.

I want to share with you what I have learned so far.

What is RFC

According to Wikipedia, a Request for Comments (RFC) is a publication in a series from the principal technical development and standards-setting bodies for the Internet, most prominently the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

An RFC is authored by individuals or groups of engineers and computer scientists in the form of a memorandum describing methods, behaviours, research, or innovations applicable to the working of the Internet and Internet-connected systems. It is submitted either for peer review or to convey new concepts, information, or, occasionally, engineering humor.

An IETF RFC begins with an initial draft, referred to as the Internet-Draft (I-D). This draft is typically created by an individual or small group.

The I-D is then adopted by a working group that reviews, improves and revises the document's content. Working groups are made up of volunteers from around the world and include members such as hardware manufacturers, software developers and network operators.