rfc2119

RFC 2119 keywords are standardized terms (MUST, SHOULD, MAY) used in technical specifications to define normative requirements. They ensure unambiguous communication of requirement levels, making standards and API contracts explicitly clear and testable for reviewers.

RFC 8174 clarifies RFC 2119 by requiring keywords to be uppercase only when normative. This skill applies both standards to your documentation, ensuring proper boilerplate references and avoiding ambiguous lowercase forms in technical standards and design documents.

You need RFC 2119 capitalization in API contracts and ADRs whenever you define normative requirements. This skill ensures terms like MUST and SHOULD are consistently capitalized, verifying that all requirement levels are clearly defined and compliant with standards.

Yes, this skill works for quality assurance during reviews of existing design specifications. It helps reviewers identify ambiguous language, enforce consistent capitalization of normative terms, and ensure all requirement levels are clearly defined per RFC 2119 and RFC 8174.

To avoid lowercase forms of RFC 2119 terms in technical writing, use this skill to scan documents and enforce uppercase usage. It provides guidance on proper boilerplate references and ensures explicit, testable requirements across all your technical standards and API contracts.