Subject: WG Action: Formed Building Blocks for HTTP APIs (httpapi)

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2020 10:20:17 -0700

A new IETF WG has been formed in the Applications and Real-Time Area. For
additional information, please contact the Area Directors or the WG Chairs.

Building Blocks for HTTP APIs (httpapi)
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Current status: Proposed WG

Chairs:
  Darrel Miller <[email-masked]>
  Rich Salz <[email-masked]>

Assigned Area Director:
  Barry Leiba <[email-masked]>

Applications and Real-Time Area Directors:
  Barry Leiba <[email-masked]>
  Murray Kucherawy <[email-masked]>

Mailing list:
  Address: [email-masked]
  To subscribe: https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/httpapi
  Archive: https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/httpapi/

Group page: https://datatracker.ietf.org/group/httpapi/

Charter: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/charter-ietf-httpapi/

In addition to its use for web browsing, HTTP is often used for
machine-to-machine communication, facilitated by HTTP APIs. This Working
Group will standardise HTTP protocol extensions for use in such cases, with a
focus on building blocks for separate or combined use.

Its output can include the following:

• Specifications for HTTP extensions that relate to HTTP APIs (typically, new
HTTP header and/or trailer fields)

• Specifications for new message body formats, or conventions for their use
in HTTP APIs (e.g., patterns of JSON objects)

• Best practices and other documentation for HTTP API designers, consumers,
implementers, operators, etc.

Other items are out of scope. In particular, this WG will not take on work
items for HTTP APIs for specific applications or services, and it will not
define new HTTP extension points. APIs for HTTP itself (e.g., in clients and
servers) are also out of scope.

To be successful, this Working Group will need to have active and broad
representation from across the industry -- e.g., API gateway vendors (and
other intermediaries), API consultants, API tool vendors, in-house API teams.
Therefore, adopted proposals should have public support from multiple
implementers and/or deployments before being sent to the IESG.

To assess whether the group is functioning well, this charter will be
reviewed by the IESG nine months after chartering.

This Working Group will also need to coordinate closely with the HTTP Working
Group, in particular when new methods and status codes are proposed. Work
items that are more broadly applicable (e.g., for implementation in Web
browsers) are likely to be more appropriate in the HTTP Working Group, but it
is expected that coordination and discussion between the groups' Chairs and
Area Director(s) will guide work items to the appropriate venue.