standardreferencen

Standardreferencen (SRN) is a proposed standard reference system intended to uniquely identify normative references within and across technical documents. Unlike ordinary bibliographic citations, SRN aims to encode sufficient metadata in a machine-readable form to enable automatic cross-linking, version tracking, and validation of cited standards.

The term describes a concept rather than a formally ratified global standard. It has appeared in discussions among standards organizations and digital libraries as a way to improve interoperability, but it is not widely adopted and competes with established identifiers such as DOIs and URNs.

A typical SRN would consist of a namespace, an issuing body, a resource identifier, and a version component, optionally followed by a check digit. An illustrative SRN might look like SRN:EX/STD-ABC/00123/2.0. The authoritative meaning and history of each SRN are managed in a central registry or registries that expose a machine-readable description and resolution rules.

Potential applications include electronic standards catalogs, regulatory compliance systems, and publishing platforms that need precise linkage from a document to the exact normative reference it relies on. Benefits cited by proponents include improved traceability, automated compliance checks, and easier deprecation handling when a cited standard is superseded.

Challenges include governance and fragmentation of registries, the need for tooling and workflow integration, and the risk of duplication or inconsistency with existing identifiers. SRN is often discussed as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, current systems such as DOIs, ISBNs, and URNs.