The Jabber protocols have long included a method for discovering version information about the software running at another entity's JID. This method makes use of the 'jabber:iq:version' namespace and has been documented variously in Internet-Drafts and elsewhere. Because this protocol is not required by RFC 2779 [1], the 'jabber:iq:version' namespace was removed from XMPP IM [2]. This specification fills the void for canonical documentation.
Note Well: The jabber:iq:version protocol SHOULD NOT be used to determine the identity of entities from which an application receives presence (e.g., contacts in a user's roster and certain kinds of gateways); Entity Capabilities (XEP-0115) [3] SHOULD be used instead. However, the jabber:iq:version protocol MAY be used to determine the identity of entities from which an application does not receive presence (e.g., servers and many kinds of components). The jabber:iq:version protocol MAY also be used to determine information available only via jabber:iq:version (e.g., operating system information) for contacts from which a user receives presence, but only if the user specifically requests such information for a particular contact.
The 'jabber:iq:version' namespace provides a standard way for Jabber entities to exchange information about the software version used by the entities. The information is communicated in a request/response pair using an <iq/> element that contains a <query/> scoped by the 'jabber:iq:version' namespace. The following children of the <query/> are allowed in an IQ result:
<iq
type='get'
from='romeo@montague.net/orchard'
to='juliet@capulet.com/balcony'
id='version_1'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:version'/>
</iq>
<iq
type='result'
to='romeo@montague.net/orchard'
from='juliet@capulet.com/balcony'
id='version_1'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:version'>
<name>Exodus</name>
<version>0.7.0.4</version>
<os>Windows-XP 5.01.2600</os>
</query>
</iq>
The standard error conditions described in Error Condition Mappings (XEP-0086) [4] apply (e.g., service unavailable if the entity does not support the namespace).
In order for a requesting entity to determine if a responding entity supports this protocol, it SHOULD send a Service Discovery (XEP-0030) [5] information request to the responding entity:
<iq from='stpeter@jabber.org/roundabout'
to='conference.jabber.org'
id='disco1'>
<query xmlns='http://jabber.org/protocol/disco#info'/>
</iq>
<iq from='conference.jabber.org'
to='stpeter@jabber.org/roundabout'
id='disco1'>
<query xmlns='http://jabber.org/protocol/disco#info'>
...
<feature var='jabber:iq:version'/>
...
</query>
</iq>
Revealing the application's underlying operating system may open the user or system to attacks directed against that operating system; therefore, an application MUST provide a way for a human user or administrator to disable sharing of information about the operating system.
This document requires no interaction with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) [6].
The 'jabber:iq:version' namespace is registered in the protocol namespaces registry maintained by the XMPP Registrar [7].
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:xs='http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema'
targetNamespace='jabber:iq:version'
xmlns='jabber:iq:version'
elementFormDefault='qualified'>
<xs:annotation>
<xs:documentation>
The protocol documented by this schema is defined in
XEP-0092: http://www.xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0092.html
</xs:documentation>
</xs:annotation>
<xs:element name='query'>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence minOccurs='0'>
<xs:element name='name' type='xs:string' minOccurs='1'/>
<xs:element name='version' type='xs:string' minOccurs='1'/>
<xs:element name='os' type='xs:string' minOccurs='0'/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
</xs:schema>
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The Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is defined in the XMPP Core (RFC 6120) and XMPP IM (RFC 6121) specifications contributed by the XMPP Standards Foundation to the Internet Standards Process, which is managed by the Internet Engineering Task Force in accordance with RFC 2026. Any protocol defined in this document has been developed outside the Internet Standards Process and is to be understood as an extension to XMPP rather than as an evolution, development, or modification of XMPP itself.
The primary venue for discussion of XMPP Extension Protocols is the <standards@xmpp.org> discussion list.
Discussion on other xmpp.org discussion lists might also be appropriate; see <http://xmpp.org/about/discuss.shtml> for a complete list.
Errata can be sent to <editor@xmpp.org>.
The following requirements keywords as used in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119: "MUST", "SHALL", "REQUIRED"; "MUST NOT", "SHALL NOT"; "SHOULD", "RECOMMENDED"; "SHOULD NOT", "NOT RECOMMENDED"; "MAY", "OPTIONAL".
1. RFC 2779: A Model for Presence and Instant Messaging <http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2779>.
2. RFC 6121: Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP): Instant Messaging and Presence <http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6121>.
3. XEP-0115: Entity Capabilities <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0115.html>.
4. XEP-0086: Error Condition Mappings <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0086.html>.
5. XEP-0030: Service Discovery <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0030.html>.
6. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is the central coordinator for the assignment of unique parameter values for Internet protocols, such as port numbers and URI schemes. For further information, see <http://www.iana.org/>.
7. The XMPP Registrar maintains a list of reserved protocol namespaces as well as registries of parameters used in the context of XMPP extension protocols approved by the XMPP Standards Foundation. For further information, see <https://xmpp.org/registrar/>.
Note: Older versions of this specification might be available at http://xmpp.org/extensions/attic/
Per a vote of the XMPP Council, changed from Historical and Active to Standards Track and Draft; recommended use of Entity Capabilities instead of Software Version when presence information is available; added proviso to security considerations regarding disclosure of operating system information; added section on Service Discovery.
Per a vote of the Jabber Council, changed status to Active.
Initial version.
END