“idnits” is a command-line tool designed to check internet drafts for submission errors, commonly referred to as “nits,” against the requirements specified by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Internet drafts are documents submitted to the IETF for consideration as potential standards or informational documents. “idnits” helps authors and reviewers ensure that their drafts comply with the guidelines and recommendations outlined in the IETF’s requirements checklist.
Here are some key features and aspects of “idnits”:
- Error Checking: “idnits” analyzes internet drafts to identify potential submission errors or violations of the requirements specified in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the IETF’s requirements checklist. These sections cover various aspects such as document formatting, boilerplate text, copyright notices, references, and other elements essential for the proper submission of an internet draft.
- Comprehensive Checks: The tool performs comprehensive checks on internet drafts, examining various aspects of the document’s content and structure to ensure compliance with IETF guidelines. This includes verifying the presence and correctness of standard boilerplate sections, checking the formatting of references, and identifying potential issues with document metadata.
- Automated Analysis: “idnits” automates the process of analyzing internet drafts, saving authors and reviewers time and effort by quickly identifying potential submission errors. This automated analysis helps streamline the document review process and ensures that drafts adhere to the necessary requirements before submission to the IETF.
- Integration with IETF Guidelines: “idnits” is designed to align closely with the requirements and recommendations outlined in the IETF’s requirements checklist. By using “idnits” to check internet drafts, authors and reviewers can ensure consistency with the expectations set forth by the IETF for document submissions.
- Feedback and Recommendations: In addition to identifying potential errors, “idnits” provides feedback and recommendations to authors and reviewers on how to address any issues found. This guidance helps users understand the nature of the errors and take appropriate corrective actions to ensure compliance with IETF guidelines.
- Web Interface: While “idnits” primarily operates as a command-line tool, it also offers a web-based interface that allows users to upload internet drafts for analysis directly through a web browser. This web interface provides an alternative method for checking drafts and may be more accessible to users who prefer graphical interfaces.
- Documentation and Resources: “idnits” provides documentation and resources to help users understand how to use the tool effectively, including instructions for installation, usage examples, and explanations of error messages. Additionally, the tool’s website offers additional information and resources related to internet draft submission and document preparation.
idnits Command Examples
1. Check a file for nits:
# idnits [path/to/file.txt]
2. Count nits without displaying them:
# idnits --nitcount [path/to/file.txt]
3. Show extra information about offending lines:
# idnits --verbose [path/to/file.txt]
4. Expect the specified year in the boilerplate instead of the current year:
# idnits --year [2021] [path/to/file.txt]
5. Assume the document is of the specified status:
# idnits --doctype [standard|informational|experimental|bcp|ps|ds] [path/to/file.txt]
Summary
Overall, “idnits” serves as a valuable tool for authors and reviewers of internet drafts, helping them ensure compliance with IETF guidelines and requirements before submission. Its automated analysis capabilities, alignment with IETF guidelines, and feedback mechanisms make it an essential component of the internet draft submission process.