- IETF 123 meeting in Madrid features a hackathon and code sprint to speed up internet protocol development.
- Participants work together to test and improve software for future internet infrastructure and security.
What happened: IETF 123 meeting and collaborative work in Madrid
The IETF held its 123rd meeting at the Meliá Castilla Hotel & Convention Center in Madrid, Spain. The event ran from Saturday 19 July to Friday 25 July 2025. It brought together engineers, developers, and experts from many countries. They met to work on new internet standards and improve existing ones. A main part of the meeting was the hackathon and code sprint. These activities let teams build and test software based on current and upcoming internet protocols. The hackathon focused on creating new prototypes and tools. The code sprint aimed at fixing bugs and making current software more stable. These sessions covered topics such as security, routing, and data transport.
The meeting had many formal discussions. It also had hands-on collaboration. Participants solved technical problems as they worked. They checked that protocols were not only well described but also easy to use. This helped make sure that the new standards could work well when many people use them. The meeting gave a chance for different groups to share ideas. They worked together to improve internet technology. The event lasted a full week. It included talks, workshops, and coding sessions. People learned from each other. They tested new software. They shared feedback. The goal was to make internet protocols better and ready for real use.
Also Read: IETF 122 discusses Key DNS enhancements
Also Read: IETF 122 post-meeting survey reveals mixed feedback
Why this is important
The IETF 123 hackathon and code sprint help the internet grow by bringing together the people who write standards and those who build software. Working in the same place made it easier to find problems. It also made fixing problems faster. This lowers the chance of issues when new protocols start to work around the world. The hands-on work also helps test new ideas quickly. This is very important because many parts of life depend on the internet. Business, government, and communication all rely on it.
Making internet protocols safer and more reliable is very important. The IETF helps develop key protocols like HTTP, TLS, and BGP. These are used by almost everyone online. The IETF’s open work lets many people from different countries help improve the internet. This stops too much control by a few companies or groups. It also helps keep the internet strong and open for all. Events like IETF 123 show that internet rules can be made by many working together. This is very important now because the internet faces new problems. It is used more than ever. New technology keeps coming. This meeting helps prepare the internet for the future.
