# Taxonomy

The Internet is decentralized, so this repository classifies entities by function rather than pretending there is one chain of command.

| Category | Definition | Typical examples |
|---|---|---|
| `governance-identifiers` | Coordination of names, protocol parameters, IP/AS number systems, or multistakeholder policy | ICANN, IANA, NRO |
| `standards` | Open technical or telecommunications standards development | IETF, W3C, ITU |
| `registry` | Regional allocation/registration of IP addresses and autonomous-system numbers | AFRINIC, APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, RIPE NCC |
| `dns` | DNS root operations, research, and operational coordination | Root Server System, DNS-OARC |
| `interconnection` | Public directories or associations for peering and Internet exchanges | PeeringDB, Euro-IX, IX-F |
| `routing-security` | Routing hygiene, routing visibility, or routing-security coordination | MANRS, Route Views, RIPE RIS |
| `incident-response` | Trusted communities and directories for CSIRT/CERT coordination | FIRST, Trusted Introducer |
| `physical-infrastructure` | Public sources describing long-haul physical connectivity | TeleGeography Submarine Cable Map |
| `operator-community` | Communities where network operators exchange operational practice | NANOG and future regional NOGs |

## Geographic scope

Use `global`, a named service region, or `regional-community`. Regional scope describes service responsibility, not headquarters location.

## Stable identifiers

`id` values are lowercase kebab-case and should survive branding changes where practical. Names and URLs may change; IDs should not be recycled.