This specification documents a protocol currently used to search information repositories on the Jabber network. To date, the jabber:iq:search protocol has been used mainly to search for people who have registered with user directories (e.g., the "Jabber User Directory" hosted at users.jabber.org). However, the jabber:iq:search protocol is not limited to user directories, and could be used to search other Jabber information repositories (such as chatroom directories) or even to provide a Jabber interface to conventional search engines.
The basic functionality is to query an information repository regarding the possible search fields, to send a search query, and to receive search results. Note well that there is currently no mechanism for paging through results or limiting the number of "hits", and that the allowable search fields are limited to those defined in the XML schema; however, extensibility MAY be provided via the Data Forms (XEP-0004) [1] protocol, as described below.
In order to search an information respository, a user first needs to discover what search fields are supported by the service:
<iq type='get'
from='romeo@montague.net/home'
to='characters.shakespeare.lit'
id='search1'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'/>
</iq>
The service MUST then return the possible search fields to the user, and MAY include instructions:
<iq type='result'
from='characters.shakespeare.lit'
to='romeo@montague.net/home'
id='search1'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'>
<instructions>
Fill in one or more fields to search
for any matching Jabber users.
</instructions>
<first/>
<last/>
<nick/>
<email/>
</query>
</iq>
The user MAY then submit a search request, specifying values for any desired fields:
<iq type='set'
from='romeo@montague.net/home'
to='characters.shakespeare.lit'
id='search2'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'>
<last>Capulet</last>
</query>
</iq>
The service SHOULD then return a list of search results that match the values provided:
<iq type='result'
from='characters.shakespeare.lit'
to='romeo@montague.net/home'
id='search2'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'>
<item jid='juliet@capulet.com'>
<first>Juliet</first>
<last>Capulet</last>
<nick>JuliC</nick>
<email>juliet@shakespeare.lit</email>
</item>
<item jid='tybalt@shakespeare.lit'>
<first>Tybalt</first>
<last>Capulet</last>
<nick>ty</nick>
<email>tybalt@shakespeare.lit</email>
</item>
</query>
</iq>
If there are no matching directory entries, the service MUST return an empty <query/> element:
<iq type='result'
from='characters.shakespeare.lit'
to='romeo@montague.net/home'
id='search2'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'/>
</iq>
The fields defined in the 'jabber:iq:search' namespace are strictly limited to those specified in the schema. If a host needs to gather additional information, Data Forms SHOULD be used; a host MUST NOT add new fields to the 'jabber:iq:search' namespace. Support for extensibility via Data Forms is RECOMMENDED, but is not required for compliance with this document.
The extensibility mechanism for searching makes use of a hidden FORM_TYPE field for the purpose of standardizing field names within the form, as defined in Field Standardization for Data Forms (XEP-0068) [2]. Implementations supporting this extensibility mechanism SHOULD support field standardization as well.
<iq type='get'
from='juliet@capulet.com/balcony'
to='characters.shakespeare.lit'
id='search3'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'/>
</iq>
<iq type='result'
from='characters.shakespeare.lit'
to='juliet@capulet.com/balcony'
id='search3'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'>
<instructions>
Use the enclosed form to search. If your Jabber client does not
support Data Forms, visit http://shakespeare.lit/
</instructions>
<x xmlns='jabber:x:data' type='form'>
<title>User Directory Search</title>
<instructions>
Please provide the following information
to search for Shakespearean characters.
</instructions>
<field type='hidden'
var='FORM_TYPE'>
<value>jabber:iq:search</value>
</field>
<field type='text-single'
label='Given Name'
var='first'/>
<field type='text-single'
label='Family Name'
var='last'/>
<field type='list-single'
label='Gender'
var='x-gender'>
<option label='Male'><value>male</value></option>
<option label='Female'><value>female</value></option>
</field>
</x>
</query>
</iq>
<iq type='set'
from='juliet@capulet.com/balcony'
to='characters.shakespeare.lit'
id='search4'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'>
<x xmlns='jabber:x:data' type='submit'>
<field type='hidden' var='FORM_TYPE'>
<value>jabber:iq:search</value>
</field>
<field var='x-gender'>
<value>male</value>
</field>
</x>
</query>
</iq>
<iq type='result'
from='characters.shakespeare.lit'
to='juliet@capulet.com/balcony'
id='search4'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:search'>
<x xmlns='jabber:x:data' type='result'>
<field type='hidden' var='FORM_TYPE'>
<value>jabber:iq:search</value>
</field>
<reported>
<field var='first' label='Given Name' type='text-single'/>
<field var='last' label='Family Name' type='text-single'/>
<field var='jid' label='Jabber ID' type='jid-single'/>
<field var='x-gender' label='Gender' type='list-single'/>
</reported>
<item>
<field var='first'><value>Benvolio</value></field>
<field var='last'><value>Montague</value></field>
<field var='jid'><value>benvolio@montague.net</value></field>
<field var='x-gender'><value>male</value></field>
</item>
<item>
<field var='first'><value>Romeo</value></field>
<field var='last'><value>Montague</value></field>
<field var='jid'><value>romeo@montague.net</value></field>
<field var='x-gender'><value>male</value></field>
</item>
</x>
</query>
</iq>
The intent of the <first/> and <last/> elements (and associated data form fields) is that they map to given name and family name, respectively. Therefore, cultures that place the family name first and the given name second (e.g., as is done in China) would use <first/> for the given name and <last/> for the family name, NOT the other way around.
For example, the name of the Chinese philosopher Confucius would be rendered as shown below because his given name was Qui and his family name was Kong.
<iq type='submit'
from='confucius@scholars.lit/home'
to='registrar.scholars.lit'
id='kj3b157n'
xml:lang='en'>
<query xmlns='jabber:iq:register'>
<username>confucius</username>
<first>Qui</first>
<last>Kong</last>
</query>
</iq>
There are no security features or concerns related to this proposal.
This document requires no interaction with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) [3].
The XMPP Registrar [4] shall include the following information in its registries.
The XMPP Registrar includes the 'jabber:iq:search' namespace in its registry of protocol namespaces.
The following fields are reserved for use within jabber:x:data forms scoped by a FORM_TYPE of 'jabber:iq:search'; additional fields MAY be added via the XMPP Registrar's normal registration process but are outside the scope of this document.
<form_type>
<name>jabber:iq:search</name>
<doc>XEP-0055</doc>
<desc>Forms enabling directory searches.</desc>
<field
var='first'
type='text-single'
label='Given Name'/>
<field
var='last'
type='text-single'
label='Family Name'/>
<field
var='nick'
type='text-single'
label='Nickname'/>
<field
var='email'
type='text-single'
label='Email Address'/>
</form_type>
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:xs='http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema'
targetNamespace='jabber:iq:search'
xmlns='jabber:iq:search'
elementFormDefault='qualified'>
<xs:import namespace='jabber:x:data'
schemaLocation='http://www.xmpp.org/schemas/x-data.xsd'/>
<xs:annotation>
<xs:documentation>
The protocol documented by this schema is defined in
XEP-0055: http://www.xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0055.html
</xs:documentation>
</xs:annotation>
<xs:element name='query'>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:choice>
<xs:all xmlns:xdata='jabber:x:data'>
<xs:element name='instructions' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='first' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='last' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='nick' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='email' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element ref='xdata:x' minOccurs='0'/>
</xs:all>
<xs:element ref='item' minOccurs='0' maxOccurs='unbounded'/>
</xs:choice>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element name='item'>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:all>
<xs:element name='first' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='last' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='nick' type='xs:string'/>
<xs:element name='email' type='xs:string'/>
</xs:all>
<xs:attribute name='jid' type='xs:string' use='required'/>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
</xs:schema>
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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. XEP-0004: Data Forms <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0004.html>.
2. XEP-0068: Field Data Standardization for Data Forms <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0068.html>.
3. 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/>.
4. 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/
Clarified that <first/> and <last/> elements in fact always represent given name and family name, respectively.
Clarified scope (searching of any information repository, not just user directories); added search and result examples to the extensibility section.
Added XML schema; added text regarding extensibility via Data Forms; added FORM_TYPE submission.
Updated status to Active per vote of the Jabber Council.
Initial version.
END