First OpenSFF Specification Drafts Now Available

Introduction

OpenSFF banner — A variety of Compute Node configurations. Image by OpenSFF.

Welcome to OpenSFF! We are incredibly excited to share with you our standard and specifications. The OpenSFF standard addresses the fragmentation in small and multi-node computers by defining three modular and interoperable hardware components: the Compute Node, the Enclosure, and the Management Module.

We are currently reaching out to industry experts, enthusiasts, and potential collaborators while actively refining our specifications. Unlike other computing form factor standards, OpenSFF is neither endorsed by nor affiliated with any computer manufacturer or foundation. We have a long road ahead of us, and that includes publishing numerous revisions in the years prior to adoption. With that in mind, allow us to briefly go over our versioning scheme.

Versioning

Scheme

The full version of any OpenSFF standard MUST follow the format:

Year.Major.Minor.STAGE#

Example:

26.0.0.RC1

Legend

Characters	Definitions
Year	The two-digit year in which the specification cycle began (e.g., 26 indicates the 2026 revision cycle). The Year field reflects a new generation of the standard that introduces substantial design or performance changes across the ecosystem, such as new voltage levels or revised baseline capabilities.
Major	The major version number. Incremented when a change or clarification may affect product implementation, such as pin assignment discrepancy or redefining a thermal requirement.
Minor	The minor version number. Incremented for editorial or non-technical changes that do not affect product implementation, including non-breaking corrections or clarifications made after an official version is released, such as typographical errors, clarifying wording, or adding figures.
STAGE#	An optional field that indicates the document’s development status, along with a number denoting revisions within the stage. These stages are: “DRAFT#”: A working draft for development and early review. It will be removed from our website once its resulting release candidate is published. “RC#”: Release candidate, with completed content and published for public or partner review. It will be removed from our website once its resulting final release is published. (no suffix): Final release of a version

Sample versioning lifecycle:

26.0.0DRAFT1: Initial draft
26.0.0DRAFT2: Refined draft
26.0.0RC1: First release candidate
26.0.0RC5: Final release candidate before being locked and archived as official release
26.0.0: Official final release
26.0.1: Minor corrections to official final release

Build with OpenSFF

The release candidates and official releases of our specifications will always be publicly available on our Documentation page. We also have overviews of each OpenSFF specification - the Compute Node, the Enclosure, and the Management Module - here on our blog. Revisions, prototypes, partnerships, and other updates will also be announced here.

For technical clarifications, partnerships, and other inquiries, reach out to our development team at [email protected].