This is the official registry of values for the 'category' and 'type' attributes of the <identity/> element within the 'http://jabber.org/protocol/disco#info' namespace (see XEP-0030: Service Discovery), as registered with the XMPP Registrar.
Last Updated: 2022-11-16
XML: https://xmpp.org/registrar/disco-categories.xml
1. account
2. auth
3. authz
4. automation
5. client
6. collaboration
7. component
8. conference
9. directory
10. gateway
11. headline
12. hierarchy
13. proxy
14. pubsub
15. server
16. store
The "account" category is to be used by a server when responding to a disco request sent to the bare JID (user@host addresss) of an account hosted by the server.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| admin | The user@host is an administrative account | <identity category='account' type='admin'/> |
| anonymous | The user@host is a "guest" account that allows anonymous login by any user | <identity category='account' type='anonymous'/> |
| registered | The user@host is a registered or provisioned account associated with a particular non-administrative user | <identity category='account' type='registered'/> |
The "auth" category consists of server components that provide authentication services within a server implementation.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| cert | A server component that authenticates based on external certificates | <identity category='auth' type='cert'/> |
| generic | A server authentication component other than one of the registered types | <identity category='auth' type='generic'/> |
| ldap | A server component that authenticates against an LDAP database | <identity category='auth' type='ldap'/> |
| ntlm | A server component that authenticates against an NT domain | <identity category='auth' type='ntlm'/> |
| pam | A server component that authenticates against a PAM system | <identity category='auth' type='pam'/> |
| radius | A server component that authenticates against a Radius system | <identity category='auth' type='radius'/> |
Services and nodes that provide authorization identities.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| ephemeral | An authorization service that provides ephemeral identities. | <identity category='authz' type='ephemeral'/> |
The "automation" category consists of entities and nodes that provide automated or programmed interaction.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| command-list | The node for a list of commands; valid only for the node "http://jabber.org/protocol/commands" | <identity category='automation' type='command-list'/> |
| command-node | A node for a specific command; the "node" attribute uniquely identifies the command | <identity category='automation' type='command-node'/> |
| rpc | An entity that supports Jabber-RPC. | <identity category='automation' type='rpc'/> |
| soap | An entity that supports the SOAP XMPP Binding. | <identity category='automation' type='soap'/> |
| translation | An entity that provides automated translation services. | <identity category='automation' type='translation'/> |
The "client" category consists of different types of clients, mostly for instant messaging.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| bot | An automated client that is not controlled by a human user | <identity category='client' type='bot'/> |
| console | Minimal non-GUI client used on dumb terminals or text-only screens | <identity category='client' type='console'/> |
| game | A client running on a gaming console | <identity category='client' type='game'/> |
| handheld | A client running on a PDA, RIM device, or other handheld | <identity category='client' type='handheld'/> |
| pc | Standard full-GUI client used on desktops and laptops | <identity category='client' type='pc'/> |
| phone | A client running on a mobile phone or other telephony device | <identity category='client' type='phone'/> |
| sms | A client that is not actually using an instant messaging client; however, messages sent to this contact will be delivered as Short Message Service (SMS) messages | <identity category='client' type='sms'/> |
| tablet | A client running on a touchscreen device larger than a smartphone and without a physical keyboard permanently attached to it. | <identity category='client' type='tablet'/> |
| web | A client operated from within a web browser | <identity category='client' type='web'/> |
The "collaboration" category consists of services that enable multiple individuals to work together in real time.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| whiteboard | Multi-user whiteboarding service | <identity category='collaboration' type='whiteboard'/> |
The "component" category consists of services that are internal to server implementations and not normally exposed outside a server.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| archive | A server component that archives traffic | <identity category='component' type='archive'/> |
| c2s | A server component that handles client connections | <identity category='component' type='c2s'/> |
| generic | A server component other than one of the registered types | <identity category='component' type='generic'/> |
| load | A server component that handles load balancing | <identity category='component' type='load'/> |
| log | A server component that logs server information | <identity category='component' type='log'/> |
| presence | A server component that provides presence information | <identity category='component' type='presence'/> |
| router | A server component that handles core routing logic | <identity category='component' type='router'/> |
| s2s | A server component that handles server connections | <identity category='component' type='s2s'/> |
| sm | A server component that manages user sessions | <identity category='component' type='sm'/> |
| stats | A server component that provides server statistics | <identity category='component' type='stats'/> |
The "conference" category consists of online conference services such as multi-user chatroom services.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| irc | Internet Relay Chat service | <identity category='conference' type='irc'/> |
| text | Text conferencing service | <identity category='conference' type='text'/> |
The "directory" category consists of information retrieval services that enable users to search online directories or otherwise be informed about the existence of other XMPP entities.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| chatroom | A directory of chatrooms | <identity category='directory' type='chatroom'/> |
| group | A directory that provides shared roster groups | <identity category='directory' type='group'/> |
| user | A directory of end users (e.g., JUD) | <identity category='directory' type='user'/> |
| waitinglist | A directory of waiting list entries | <identity category='directory' type='waitinglist'/> |
The "gateway" category consists of translators between Jabber/XMPP services and non-XMPP services.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| aim | Gateway to AOL Instant Messenger | <identity category='gateway' type='aim'/> |
| discord | Gateway to the Discord IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='discord'/> |
| Gateway to the Facebook IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='facebook'/> | |
| gadu-gadu | Gateway to the Gadu-Gadu IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='gadu-gadu'/> |
| http-ws | Gateway that provides HTTP Web Services access | <identity category='gateway' type='http-ws'/> |
| icq | Gateway to ICQ | <identity category='gateway' type='icq'/> |
| irc | Gateway to IRC | <identity category='gateway' type='irc'/> |
| lcs | Gateway to Microsoft Live Communications Server | <identity category='gateway' type='lcs'/> |
| mattermost | Gateway to a mattermost instance IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='mattermost'/> |
| mrim | Gateway to the mail.ru IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='mrim'/> |
| msn | Gateway to MSN Messenger | <identity category='gateway' type='msn'/> |
| myspaceim | Gateway to the MySpace IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='myspaceim'/> |
| ocs | Gateway to Microsoft Office Communications Server | <identity category='gateway' type='ocs'/> |
| pstn | Gateway to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) | <identity category='gateway' type='pstn'/> |
| Gateway to the QQ IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='qq'/> | |
| sametime | Gateway to IBM Lotus Sametime | <identity category='gateway' type='sametime'/> |
| signal | Gateway to Signal IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='signal'/> |
| simple | Gateway to SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE) | <identity category='gateway' type='simple'/> |
| skype | Gateway to the Skype service | <identity category='gateway' type='skype'/> |
| sms | Gateway to Short Message Service | <identity category='gateway' type='sms'/> |
| smtp | Gateway to the SMTP (email) network | <identity category='gateway' type='smtp'/> |
| steam | Gateway to Steam IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='steam'/> |
| telegram | Gateway to the Telegram IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='telegram'/> |
| tlen | Gateway to the Tlen IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='tlen'/> |
| xfire | Gateway to the Xfire gaming and IM service | <identity category='gateway' type='xfire'/> |
| xmpp | Gateway to another XMPP service (NOT via native server-to-server communication) | <identity category='gateway' type='xmpp'/> |
| yahoo | Gateway to Yahoo! Instant Messenger | <identity category='gateway' type='yahoo'/> |
The "headline" category consists of services that provide real-time news or information (often but not necessarily in a message of type "headline").
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| newmail | Service that notifies a user of new email messages. | <identity category='headline' type='newmail'/> |
| rss | RSS notification service. | <identity category='headline' type='rss'/> |
| weather | Service that provides weather alerts. | <identity category='headline' type='weather'/> |
The "hierarchy" category is used to describe nodes within a hierarchy of nodes; the "branch" and "leaf" types are exhaustive.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| branch | A service discovery node that contains further nodes in the hierarchy. | <identity category='hierarchy' type='branch'/> |
| leaf | A service discovery node that does not contain further nodes in the hierarchy. | <identity category='hierarchy' type='leaf'/> |
The "proxy" category consists of servers or services that act as special-purpose proxies or intermediaries between two or more XMPP endpoints.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| bytestreams | SOCKS5 bytestreams proxy service | <identity category='proxy' type='bytestreams'/> |
Services and nodes that adhere to XEP-0060.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| collection | A pubsub node of the "collection" type. | <identity category='pubsub' type='collection'/> |
| leaf | A pubsub node of the "leaf" type. | <identity category='pubsub' type='leaf'/> |
| pep | A personal eventing service that supports the publish-subscribe subset defined in XEP-0163. | <identity category='pubsub' type='pep'/> |
| service | A pubsub service that supports the functionality defined in XEP-0060. | <identity category='pubsub' type='service'/> |
The "server" category consists of any Jabber/XMPP server.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| im | Standard Jabber/XMPP server used for instant messaging and presence | <identity category='server' type='im'/> |
The "store" category consists of internal server components that provide data storage and retrieval services.
| Type | Description | XML |
|---|---|---|
| berkeley | A server component that stores data in a Berkeley database | <identity category='store' type='berkeley'/> |
| file | A server component that stores data on the file system | <identity category='store' type='file'/> |
| generic | A server data storage component other than one of the registered types | <identity category='store' type='generic'/> |
| ldap | A server component that stores data in an LDAP database | <identity category='store' type='ldap'/> |
| mysql | A server component that stores data in a MySQL database | <identity category='store' type='mysql'/> |
| oracle | A server component that stores data in an Oracle database | <identity category='store' type='oracle'/> |
| postgres | A server component that stores data in a PostgreSQL database | <identity category='store' type='postgres'/> |
2022-11-16 Add discord, mattermost, signal and steam gateway types. (mw)
2021-10-06 Add PSTN gateway type. (mw)
2018-09-04 Add Telegram gateway type. (lnj)
2016-12-07 Add authz category from XEP-0383. (ssw)
2016-10-06 Fixed the tablet client category xml and XEP listings. (egp, ssw)
2016-07-28 Added the tablet client category (dg)
2011-02-22 Added the game and sms types to the client category. (psa)
2010-04-02 Added irc type to the gateway category. (psa)
2009-09-15 Added skype type to the gateway category. (psa)
2009-03-13 Added facebook, mrim, and myspaceim types to the gateway category. (psa)
2008-06-12 Added lcs, ocs, sametime, simple, and xmpp types to the gateway category. (psa)
2008-05-09 Added translation type to automation category. (psa)
2008-04-14 Added xfire type to gateway category. (psa)
2006-09-20 Added pep type to pubsub category. (psa)
2006-07-05 Corrected pubsub registration. (psa)
2006-01-03 Added "qq" and "tlen" types to "gateway" category. (psa)
2005-12-14 Added "soap" and "rpc" types to "automation" category (per XEP-0072 and XEP-0009). (psa)
2005-08-26 Added "group" type and "waitinglist" type to "directory" category (per XEP-0144 and XEP-0130). (psa)
2005-03-03 Added "account" category and types for "admin", "anonymous", and "registered". (psa)
2004-06-11 Added "headline/newmail" and "headline/weather" types. (psa)
2004-05-19 Added "auth", "component", and "store" categories for internal server components; added "gateway/http-ws" type; added "directory/chatroom" type. (psa)
2004-05-10 Added "hierarchy" category along with associated "branch" and "leaf" types. (psa)
2004-01-14 Added "pubsub" category and "generic" type. (psa)
2003-10-21 Restored "headline/rss" category/type, since it is in use. (psa)
2003-09-24 Added "proxy" category per XEP-0065, removed "headline" category. (psa)
2003-09-23 Added "automation" category per XEP-0050. (psa)
2003-09-15 Added "client" and "server" categories, removed "pim" category. (psa)
2003-05-08 Removed categories and types not in use. (psa)
2003-04-23 Initial version (parameters from XEP). (psa)