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About

Introduction to the IETF

Introduction to the IETF

Introduction to the IETF

Participants

Mission

Principles

The work

Structure of the IETF

Internet Engineering Steering Group

Internet Architecture Board

Internet Research Task Force

Liaison relationships

Nominating Committee

IETF Trust

RFC Editor

Independent Submissions Editor

Legal requests

Legal request procedures

Legal requests

Administration

IETF Administration LLC

Administrative announcements

Administrative reports

IETF Administration LLC Board

IETF Administration LLC Staff

Financial statements

RFPs and contracts

Administrative policies and procedures

IETF LLC transparency report
The IETF works on a broad range of networking technologies that provide the foundation for the Internet's growth and evolution.
Technologies

Automated network management

The Internet of Things

New transport technology

Security & privacy

IETF technologies in action

Domain Name System

IETF technology groups

IETF Areas

Working Group keywords

Recent posts about IETF technologies

Agentic AI communications: Identifying the standards we need

Enabling Publishers to Express Preferences for AI Crawlers: An Update on the AIPREF Working Group

Preventing Internet Route Hijack with SIDRops Technology

End-to-end encryption based on the IETF-developed Messaging Layer Security set be used on 100s of millions of mobile devices

The new GREEN working group gets ready for an energy efficient Internet
While most IETF work takes place online, meetings and other events such as Hackathons provide in-person opportunities to advance work within the IETF.
Meetings

IETF 125 Shenzhen

IETF 126 Vienna

IETF 127 San Francisco

Upcoming meetings

Past meetings

Interim meetings

IETF Hackathons

Code Sprint

Participation information

Preparing for an IETF Meeting

Guide to IETF Meetings

IETF meeting terms and conditions

New Participants

IETF Guides program

Meeting network and technology

Meetecho guide for participants

Visas and Letters of Invitation

Meeting Registration Fee Waivers

Onsite Childcare

Organizing meetings

Meeting planning

Meeting sponsorship

Side meetings and private meetings
The IETF is the premier Internet standards organization. It follows open and well-documented processes for setting these standards. Once published, those standards are made freely available.
Process

Internet standards process

Guide to IETF Working Groups

Birds of a Feather (BOF)

Protocol registries (IANA)

Intellectual property rights (IPR)

Directorates and teams

Informal guide to IETF process documents

Bringing new work to the IETF

RFCs

About RFCs

RFC Editor

Availability and use

Publication formats

Statuses

Publication streams

Corrections and errata

Reporting protocol vulnerabilities to the IETF

Standards process details

Choosing between Informational and Experimental Status

The role of the IESG in the Standards process

Appeals to the IESG

IESG ballot procedures

Informal guide to IETF process documents
The global IETF community works together in many different ways to produce high quality, relevant technical documents that influence the way people design, use, and manage the Internet.
Participate

Getting started in the IETF

Internet-Drafts

IETF Systers

Tools and services

Datatracker

Mailing lists

Tools and services

Open records

Chairs resources

I-D authors resources

Participation guides

Guide to IETF Meetings

Guide to IETF Working Groups

Roles in the IETF

Key policies

Note Well - A reminder of IETF policies

Anti-harassment policy

Internet Standards process (BCP 9)

Working Group processes (BCP 25)

Guidelines for conduct (BCP 54)

Copyright (BCP 78)

Patents, Participation (BCP 79)

IETF/IRTF/IAB Privacy Statement
By supporting the IETF today, you are ensuring a free and open Internet exists tomorrow.
Support us

Why we need your support

IETF financial supporters

Donate to the IETF

Ways to give

IETF Endowment

Meeting sponsorship

Other ways to give

Technical foundations for business

Supporting values

Running Code

Sustainability

Diversity and Inclusion

Open Internet

News & blog
Search

IETF News

Articles by Mirjam Kuehne

2026-03-31	IETF Secretariat continues under new approach
2025-06-24	IETF LLC Board Retreat 2025
2015-06-08	New Ideas for IETF Education

About

Introduction to the IETF
Internet Engineering Steering Group
Administration
Privacy and policies
Contact us

Technologies

Automated network management
The Internet of Things
New transport technology
Security & privacy
IETF Areas

Meetings

Upcoming meetings
Past meetings
IETF Hackathons
Preparing for an IETF Meeting
Guide to IETF Meetings

Process

Internet standards process
About RFCs
Bringing new work to the IETF

Participate

Getting started in the IETF
Guide to IETF Meetings
Guide to IETF Working Groups
Mailing lists

Support us

Why we need your support
Meeting sponsorship
Other ways to give
IETF financial supporters

IETF LLC
RFC Editor
IANA
IAB
IRTF
IETF Trust