Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (xmpp)

Last Modified: 2004-09-07

Chair(s):

Pete Resnick <presnick@qualcomm.com>
Lisa Dusseault <lisa@osafoundation.org>

Applications Area Director(s):

Ted Hardie <hardie@qualcomm.com>
Scott Hollenbeck <sah@428cobrajet.net>

Applications Area Advisor:

Scott Hollenbeck <sah@428cobrajet.net>

Mailing Lists:

General Discussion: xmppwg@xmpp.org
To Subscribe: xmppwg-request@xmpp.org
In Body: subscribe
Archive: http://mail.jabber.org/pipermail/xmppwg/

Description of Working Group:

XMPP is an open, XML-based protocol for near real-time extensible
messaging and presence. It is the core protocol of the Jabber Instant
Messaging and Presence technology which is currently deployed on
thousands of servers across the Internet and is used by millions of
people worldwide. The XMPP working group shall adapt the XMPP for use
as an IETF Instant Messaging and Presence technology.

The working group will use XMPP (as described in draft-miller-xmpp-*)
as the basis of its work. The final specifications will be consistent
as much as practical with both the requirements given in RFC2779 and
the interoperability details in the final version of the CPIM
specification (draft-ietf-impp-cpim). Note: If a requirement of
RFC2779 or the final CPIM specification cannot be met, the working
group will document why this requirement cannot be met.

A major goal of the working group will be to extend the current XMPP
protocols to provide finished support for RFC 2779-compliant security
mechanisms, including authentication, privacy, access control and
end-to-end as well as hop-by-hop message security.
Mandatory-to-implement security mechanisms will be specified as
needed in order to guarantee secure protocol interoperability.

The working group shall also add support for internationalization and
localization to XMPP.

Instant messaging differs from email primarily by requiring
relatively short delivery latency guarantees and, typically, less
robust transport service. In addition, instant messaging includes the
notion of presence information so authorized users can determine if
their correspondents are available.

BCP 41 will be the basis for working group consideration of the
transport implications of the XMPP design with respect to network
congestion.

Although not encouraged, non-backwards-compatible changes to the
basis specifications will be acceptable if the working group
determines that the changes are required to meet the group's
technical objectives and the group clearly documents the reasons for
making them.

There are facilities, such as chat rooms, shared white-boards and
similar services that are not currently discussed in RFC2778 and
RFC2779. When designing security mechanisms, the working group will
keep in mind that XMPP may be extended or adapted to facilitate these
additional services, so that design decisions can be made that will
not preclude providing these services in the future.

Goals and Milestones:

Done    Prepare revised specifications reflecting issues and solutions identified by the working group
Done    Meet at the 55th IETF to discuss current drafts
Done    Prepare final core protocol draft ready for working group last call
Done    Prepare final instant messaging draft ready for working group last call
Done    Prepare final CPIM compliance draft ready for working group last call
Done    Submit revised specifications to the IESG for consideration as standards-track publications

No Current Internet-Drafts

Request For Comments:

End-to-End Object Encryption in the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) (RFC 3923) (0 bytes)
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP): Instant Messaging and Presence (RFC 3921) (217527 bytes)
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP): Core (RFC 3920) (194313 bytes)
Mapping the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) to Common Presence and Instant Messaging (CPIM) (RFC 3922) (70790 bytes)