Internet & networking · 1997

RFC 2119: Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels

Scott Bradner

Request for Comments 2119 · BCP 14 · Best Current Practice · March 1997

The Best Current Practice that defines MUST, SHOULD, MAY and related key words for requirement levels in specifications.

Poster of “RFC 2119: Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels”: the text in two columns
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A3
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Distribution unlimited
Retrieved
27 September 2026
Language
English
Rights holder
Scott Bradner, 1997

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RFC Editor plain-text edition, complete. The heading block and the status of the memo are set as the header of the poster; page headers and footers are left out; the misspelling “retransmisssions” of the original is kept.

Rights

Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

RFC 2119 itself carries no copyright notice. The RFC Editor also states: “All RFCs may be freely reproduced and translated (unmodified).” (https://www.rfc-editor.org/faq/)

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