web-platform-tests / web-platform-tests/rfcs
Should we allow .invalid TLD in tests for guaranteed-nonexistent hostnames?
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Description
Currently, tests that need a guaranteed-nonexistent hostname are meant to use the nonexistent subdomain under the WPT-controlled domains (typically, nonexistent.web-platform.test).
However, RFC 6761 §6.4 reserves the .invalid TLD specifically for this purpose — names under .invalid SHOULD always return a negative response.
There is already some usage of .invalid in tests today, e.g.:
websockets/constructor/008.html#L11webtransport/stats.https.any.js#L50url/resources/setters_tests.json#L1146
But: there's no explicit policy permitting it, and the lint rules don't forbid it.
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- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reading RFC 6761 §6.4, then review the listed Web Platform Tests and the current lint rules for hostname usage. Determine whether the project should explicitly permit .invalid and whether its policy or lint documentation needs updating; done means the policy question has a documented resolution.
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Assessment
- Domain
- documentation, testing
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 30/100