RFC Authoring Standards
RFC Authoring Standards
Document Metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document ID | RFC-STANDARDS |
| Title | RFC Authoring Standards |
| Status | Draft |
| Category | Standards Track |
| Kind | Standards |
| Version | 2.0.0 |
| Author | Shaik Noorullah |
| Created | 2026-02-10 |
| Last Updated | 2026-02-10 |
Abstract
This document defines the authoritative standards for authoring Request for Comments (RFC) documents within this organization. All RFC authors MUST adhere to these standards.
RFCs serve as the primary mechanism for proposing, documenting, and preserving architectural decisions for platform systems. This document establishes:
- RFC identity and classification requirements
- Document structure and organization rules
- Content requirements and restrictions
- Formatting and style standards
- Review and maintenance procedures
This is a foundational document that governs all other RFCs, including the RFC Kind standards (RFC-RFCSTD-0001 through RFC-RFCSTD-0004).
Scope Boundaries
| Aspect | In Scope | Out of Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Content | RFC authoring rules, structure, formatting | Kind-specific section requirements (see Kind RFCs) |
| Applicability | All RFCs in docs/platform/rfcs/ and docs/standards/ | Implementation documentation |
| Audience | All RFC authors and reviewers | End users of systems |
Table of Contents
Core Sections
| Section | File | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0. Index | 00-index.md | This file — metadata, abstract, navigation |
| 1. Identity and Classification | 01-identity.md | RFC IDs, status, categories, kinds |
| 2. Versioning | 02-versioning.md | Version format, history, supersession |
| 3. Document Structure | 03-structure.md | Multi-file organization, section requirements |
| 4. Content Requirements | 04-content.md | What RFCs must/must not include |
| 5. Formatting Standards | 05-formatting.md | Headers, navigation, tables, diagrams |
| 6. Language and Style | 06-language.md | RFC 2119 keywords, voice, precision |
| 7. Invariants and Requirements | 07-invariants.md | How to specify invariants and goals |
| 8. Rationale Requirements | 08-rationale.md | Documenting rejected alternatives |
| 9. Glossary and References | 09-glossary-refs.md | Term definitions, citations |
| 10. Review and Maintenance | 10-review.md | Review checklist, updates, supersession |
Appendices
| Appendix | File | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A. Glossary | appendix-a-glossary.md | Term definitions |
| B. References | appendix-b-references.md | Citations and version history |
Reading Paths
For New RFC Authors
- Read Identity and Classification to understand RFC structure
- Review Document Structure for file organization
- Study Content Requirements for what to include/exclude
- Follow Formatting Standards for consistency
For RFC Reviewers
- Use the checklist in Review and Maintenance
- Verify compliance with Content Requirements
- Check Language and Style for RFC 2119 usage
For Quick Reference
- Glossary for term definitions
- References for external standards
Conformance Language
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals.
End of Index — RFC Authoring Standards