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Web Linking: typed web links and link relations
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web linking RFCs (19)
RFC 9727: api-catalog: A Well-Known URI and Link Relation to Help Discovery of APIs
Proposed Standard- K. Smith
- June 2025
- IETF publication
- Web and Internet Transport
Abstract
This document defines the "api-catalog" well-known URI and link relation. It is intended to facilitate automated discovery and usage of published Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). A request to the api-catalog resource will return a document providing information about, and links to, the Publisher's APIs.
Abstract
This document defines the "api-catalog" well-known URI and link relation. It is intended to facilitate automated discovery and usage of published Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). A request to the api-catalog resource will return a document providing information about, and links to, the Publisher's APIs.
RFC 9652: The Link-Template HTTP Header Field
Proposed Standard- M. Nottingham
- September 2024
- IETF publication
- Web and Internet Transport
Abstract
This specification defines the Link-Template HTTP header field, providing a means for describing the structure of a link between two resources so that new links can be generated.
Abstract
This specification defines the Link-Template HTTP header field, providing a means for describing the structure of a link between two resources so that new links can be generated.
RFC 9423: Constrained RESTful Environments (CoRE) Target Attributes Registry
Informational- C. Bormann
- April 2024
- IETF publication
- Web and Internet Transport
Abstract
The Constrained RESTful Environments (CoRE) specifications apply web technologies to constrained environments. One such important technology is Web Linking (RFC 8288), which CoRE specifications use as the basis for a number of discovery protocols, such as the Link Format (RFC 6690) in the Constrained Application Protocol's (CoAP's) resource discovery process (Section 7.2 of RFC 7252) and the Resource Directory (RD) (RFC 9176).
Web Links can have target attributes, the names of which are not generally coordinated by the Web Linking specification (Section 2.2 of RFC 8288). This document introduces an IANA registry for coordinating names of target attributes when used in CoRE. It updates the "RD Parameters" IANA registry created by RFC 9176 to coordinate with this registry.
Abstract
The Constrained RESTful Environments (CoRE) specifications apply web technologies to constrained environments. One such important technology is Web Linking (RFC 8288), which CoRE specifications use as the basis for a number of discovery protocols, such as the Link Format (RFC 6690) in the Constrained Application Protocol's (CoAP's) resource discovery process (Section 7.2 of RFC 7252) and the Resource Directory (RD) (RFC 9176).
Web Links can have target attributes, the names of which are not generally coordinated by the Web Linking specification (Section 2.2 of RFC 8288). This document introduces an IANA registry for coordinating names of target attributes when used in CoRE. It updates the "RD Parameters" IANA registry created by RFC 9176 to coordinate with this registry.
RFC 9409: The 'sip-trunking-capability' Link Relation Type
Informational- K. Inamdar
- S. Narayanan
- D. Engi
- G. Salgueiro
- July 2023
- IETF publication
- Applications and Real-Time Area
Abstract
This Informational document defines the 'sip-trunking-capability'
link relation type that may be used by an enterprise telephony
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) network to retrieve a SIP trunking
capability set document, which contains the capabilities and
configuration requirements of an Internet Telephony Service Provider
(ITSP). These technical requirements allow for seamless peering
between SIP-based enterprise telephony networks and the ITSP.
Abstract
This Informational document defines the 'sip-trunking-capability'
link relation type that may be used by an enterprise telephony
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) network to retrieve a SIP trunking
capability set document, which contains the capabilities and
configuration requirements of an Internet Telephony Service Provider
(ITSP). These technical requirements allow for seamless peering
between SIP-based enterprise telephony networks and the ITSP.
RFC 9264: Linkset: Media Types and a Link Relation Type for Link Sets
Proposed Standard- E. Wilde
- H. Van de Sompel
- July 2022
- IETF publication
- Web and Internet Transport
Abstract
This specification defines two formats and associated media types for representing sets of links as standalone documents. One format is based on JSON, and the other is aligned with the format for representing links in the HTTP "Link" header field. This specification also introduces a link relation type to support the discovery of sets of links.
Abstract
This specification defines two formats and associated media types for representing sets of links as standalone documents. One format is based on JSON, and the other is aligned with the format for representing links in the HTTP "Link" header field. This specification also introduces a link relation type to support the discovery of sets of links.
RFC 9176: Constrained RESTful Environments (CoRE) Resource Directory
Proposed Standard- C. Amsüss
- Z. Shelby
- M. Koster
- C. Bormann
- P. van der Stok
- April 2022
- IETF publication
- Web and Internet Transport
Abstract
In many Internet of Things (IoT) applications, direct discovery of resources is not practical due to sleeping nodes or networks where multicast traffic is inefficient. These problems can be solved by employing an entity called a Resource Directory (RD), which contains information about resources held on other servers, allowing lookups to be performed for those resources. The input to an RD is composed of links, and the output is composed of links constructed from the information stored in the RD. This document specifies the web interfaces that an RD supports for web servers to discover the RD and to register, maintain, look up, and remove information on resources. Furthermore, new target attributes useful in conjunction with an RD are defined.
Abstract
In many Internet of Things (IoT) applications, direct discovery of resources is not practical due to sleeping nodes or networks where multicast traffic is inefficient. These problems can be solved by employing an entity called a Resource Directory (RD), which contains information about resources held on other servers, allowing lookups to be performed for those resources. The input to an RD is composed of links, and the output is composed of links constructed from the information stored in the RD. This document specifies the web interfaces that an RD supports for web servers to discover the RD and to register, maintain, look up, and remove information on resources. Furthermore, new target attributes useful in conjunction with an RD are defined.
RFC 8631: Link Relation Types for Web Services
Informational- E. Wilde
- July 2019
- IETF publication
Abstract
Many resources provided on the Web are part of sets of resources that are provided in a context that is managed by one particular service provider. Often, these sets of resources are referred to as "Web services" or "Web APIs". This specification defines link relations that represent relationships from Web services or APIs to resources that provide documentation, descriptions, metadata, or status information for these resources. Documentation is primarily intended for human consumers, whereas descriptions are primarily intended for automated consumers. Metadata provides information about a service's context. This specification also defines a link relation to identify status resources that are used to represent information about service status.
Abstract
Many resources provided on the Web are part of sets of resources that are provided in a context that is managed by one particular service provider. Often, these sets of resources are referred to as "Web services" or "Web APIs". This specification defines link relations that represent relationships from Web services or APIs to resources that provide documentation, descriptions, metadata, or status information for these resources. Documentation is primarily intended for human consumers, whereas descriptions are primarily intended for automated consumers. Metadata provides information about a service's context. This specification also defines a link relation to identify status resources that are used to represent information about service status.
RFC 8574: cite-as: A Link Relation to Convey a Preferred URI for Referencing
Informational- H. Van de Sompel
- M. Nelson
- G. Bilder
- J. Kunze
- S. Warner
- April 2019
- Independent Stream publication
Abstract
A web resource is routinely referenced by means of the URI with which it is directly accessed. But cases exist where referencing a resource by means of a different URI is preferred. This specification defines a link relation type that can be used to convey such a preference.
Abstract
A web resource is routinely referenced by means of the URI with which it is directly accessed. But cases exist where referencing a resource by means of a different URI is preferred. This specification defines a link relation type that can be used to convey such a preference.
RFC 8288: Web Linking
Proposed Standard- M. Nottingham
- October 2017
- IETF publication
Abstract
This specification defines a model for the relationships between resources on the Web ("links") and the type of those relationships ("link relation types").
It also defines the serialisation of such links in HTTP headers with the Link header field.
Abstract
This specification defines a model for the relationships between resources on the Web ("links") and the type of those relationships ("link relation types").
It also defines the serialisation of such links in HTTP headers with the Link header field.
RFC 6903: Additional Link Relation Types
Informational- J. Snell
- March 2013
- Independent Stream publication
Abstract
This specification defines a number of additional link relation types that can used for a range of purposes in a variety of applications types.
Abstract
This specification defines a number of additional link relation types that can used for a range of purposes in a variety of applications types.
RFC 6906: The 'profile' Link Relation Type
Informational- E. Wilde
- March 2013
- Independent Stream publication
Abstract
This specification defines the 'profile' link relation type that allows resource representations to indicate that they are following one or more profiles. A profile is defined not to alter the semantics of the resource representation itself, but to allow clients to learn about additional semantics (constraints, conventions, extensions) that are associated with the resource representation, in addition to those defined by the media type and possibly other mechanisms.
Abstract
This specification defines the 'profile' link relation type that allows resource representations to indicate that they are following one or more profiles. A profile is defined not to alter the semantics of the resource representation itself, but to allow clients to learn about additional semantics (constraints, conventions, extensions) that are associated with the resource representation, in addition to those defined by the media type and possibly other mechanisms.
RFC 6892: The 'describes' Link Relation Type
Informational- E. Wilde
- March 2013
- Independent Stream publication
Abstract
This specification defines the 'describes' link relation type that allows resource representations to indicate that they are describing another resource. In contexts where applications want to associate described resources and description resources, and want to build services based on these associations, the 'describes' link relation type provides the opposite direction of the 'describedby' link relation type, which already is a registered link relation type.
Abstract
This specification defines the 'describes' link relation type that allows resource representations to indicate that they are describing another resource. In contexts where applications want to associate described resources and description resources, and want to build services based on these associations, the 'describes' link relation type provides the opposite direction of the 'describedby' link relation type, which already is a registered link relation type.
RFC 6861: The "create-form" and "edit-form" Link Relations
Informational- I. Dzmanashvili
- January 2013
- Independent Stream publication
Abstract
RFC 5988 standardized a means of indicating the relationships between resources on the Web. This specification defines link relation types that may be used to express the relationships between a resource and an input form for constructing data submissions. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
Abstract
RFC 5988 standardized a means of indicating the relationships between resources on the Web. This specification defines link relation types that may be used to express the relationships between a resource and an input form for constructing data submissions. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC 6573: The Item and Collection Link Relations
Informational- M. Amundsen
- April 2012
- IETF publication
Abstract
RFC 5988 standardized a means of indicating the relationships between resources on the Web. This specification defines a pair of reciprocal link relation types that may be used to express the relationship between a collection and its members. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
Abstract
RFC 5988 standardized a means of indicating the relationships between resources on the Web. This specification defines a pair of reciprocal link relation types that may be used to express the relationship between a collection and its members. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC 6596: The Canonical Link Relation
Informational- M. Ohye
- J. Kupke
- April 2012
- IETF publication
Abstract
RFC 5988 specifies a way to define relationships between links on the web. This document describes a new type of such a relationship, "canonical", to designate an Internationalized Resource Identifier (IRI) as preferred over resources with duplicative content. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
Abstract
RFC 5988 specifies a way to define relationships between links on the web. This document describes a new type of such a relationship, "canonical", to designate an Internationalized Resource Identifier (IRI) as preferred over resources with duplicative content. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC 6579: The 'disclosure' Link Relation Type
Informational- M. Yevstifeyev
- March 2012
- IETF publication
Abstract
This document specifies the 'disclosure' link relation type. It designates a list of IPR disclosures made with respect to the material for which such a relation type is specified. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
Abstract
This document specifies the 'disclosure' link relation type. It designates a list of IPR disclosures made with respect to the material for which such a relation type is specified. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC 5988: Web Linking
Proposed Standard- M. Nottingham
- October 2010
- IETF publication
Abstract
This document specifies relation types for Web links, and defines a registry for them. It also defines the use of such links in HTTP headers with the Link header field. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
Obsoleted by RFC 8288
Abstract
This document specifies relation types for Web links, and defines a registry for them. It also defines the use of such links in HTTP headers with the Link header field. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC 5989: A SIP Event Package for Subscribing to Changes to an HTTP Resource
Proposed Standard- A.B. Roach
- October 2010
- IETF publication
Abstract
The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is increasingly being used in systems that are tightly coupled with Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) servers for a variety of reasons. In many of these cases, applications can benefit from being able to discover, in near real- time, when a specific HTTP resource is created, changed, or deleted. This document proposes a mechanism, based on the SIP Event Framework, for doing so. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
Abstract
The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is increasingly being used in systems that are tightly coupled with Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) servers for a variety of reasons. In many of these cases, applications can benefit from being able to discover, in near real- time, when a specific HTTP resource is created, changed, or deleted. This document proposes a mechanism, based on the SIP Event Framework, for doing so. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC 5829: Link Relation Types for Simple Version Navigation between Web Resources
Informational- A. Brown
- G. Clemm
- J. Reschke
- April 2010
- IETF publication
Abstract
This specification defines a set of link relation types that may be used on Web resources for navigation between a resource and other resources related to version control, such as past versions and working copies. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
Abstract
This specification defines a set of link relation types that may be used on Web resources for navigation between a resource and other resources related to version control, such as past versions and working copies. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
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