The telnet protocol has a long history, reaching as far back as 1971. People continue to write telnet related code and implement the protocol in new programming languages. Below you'll find some telnet development resources.
Inetutils - GNU network utilities - C source code for telnet client and server (plus ftp, rlogin, and more)
http://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/inetutils.html
Console Telnet for win32 - source forge project:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=4675&release_id=13905
Surf around here for source for NCSA Telnet on Mac and PC:
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Homepage/telnet.html
A python Telnet server (and more):
http://x84.readthedocs.org/en/latest/intro.html
A python telnet protocol implementation using the "tulip" module of PEP 3156:
https://github.com/jquast/telnetlib3
Many others can be found by searching github:
search telnet at github.com
Below is the current list of Telnet related RFC's. This information was harvested from rfc-editor.org. You may look up these and other RFC's at http://www.rfc-editor.org/
This list is sorted by date descending.
# | Title | Author or Ed. | Date | Format | More Info (Obs & Upd) | Status |
RFC6270 | The 'tn3270' URI Scheme | M. Yevstifeyev | June 2011 | ASCII | Updates RFC2355, RFC1738, RFC1041 | Proposed Standard |
RFC5929 | Channel Bindings for TLS | J. Altman, N. Williams, L. Zhu | July 2010 | ASCII | Proposed Standard | |
RFC4777 | IBM's iSeries Telnet Enhancements | T. Murphy Jr., P. Rieth, J. Stevens | November 2006 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC2877 | Informational |
RFC4248 | The telnet URI Scheme | P. Hoffman | October 2005 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC1738 | Proposed Standard |
RFC2953 | Telnet Encryption: DES 64 bit Output Feedback--- | T. Ts'o. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC2952 | Telnet Encryption: DES 64 bit Cipher Feedback--- | T. Ts'o. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC2951 | TELNET Authentication Using KEA and SKIPJACK--- | R. Housley, T. Horting, P. Yee | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC2941 | Telnet Authentication Option--- | T. Ts'o, Ed., J. Altman | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC1416 | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC2942 | Telnet Authentication: Kerberos Version 5--- | T. Ts'o. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2943 | TELNET Authentication Using DSA--- | R. Housley, T. Horting, P. Yee. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2944 | Telnet Authentication: SRP--- | T. Wu. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2946 | Telnet Data Encryption Option--- | T. Ts'o. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2947 | Telnet Encryption: DES3 64 bit Cipher Feedback--- | J. Altman. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2948 | Telnet Encryption: DES3 64 bit Output Feedback--- | J. Altman. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2949 | Telnet Encryption: CAST-128 64 bit Output Feedback--- | J. Altman. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2950 | Telnet Encryption: CAST-128 64 bit Cipher Feedback--- | J. Altman. | 9/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED |
RFC2877 | 5250 Telnet Enhancements--- | T. Murphy, Jr., P. Rieth, J. Stevens | 7/1/2000 | ASCII | Updates RFC1205 | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC2840 | TELNET KERMIT OPTION--- | J. Altman, F. da Cruz. | 5/1/2000 | ASCII | --- | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC2217 | Telnet Com Port Control Option--- | G. Clark | 10/1/97 | ASCII | --- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC2066 | TELNET CHARSET Option--- | R. Gellens | 1/1/97 | ASCII | --- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC1571 | Telnet Environment Option Interoperability Issues--- | D. Borman | 1/1/94 | ASCII | Updates RFC1408--- | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC1572 | Telnet Environment Option--- | S. Alexander | 1/1/94 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1416 | Telnet Authentication Option--- | D. Borman, Editor | 2/1/93 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC1409--- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC1408 | Telnet Environment Option--- | D. Borman, Editor | 1/1/93 | ASCII | Updated by RFC1571--- | HISTORIC |
RFC1409 | Telnet Authentication Option--- | D. Borman, Editor | 1/1/93 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC1416--- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC1411 | Telnet Authentication--- | D. Borman, Editor | 1/1/93 | ASCII | --- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC1412 | Telnet Authentication--- | K. Alagappan | 1/1/93 | ASCII | --- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC1372 | Telnet Remote Flow Control Option--- | C. Hedrick, D. Borman | 10/1/92 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC1080--- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1205 | 5250 Telnet interface--- | P. Chmielewski | 2/1/91 | ASCII | --- | INFORMATIONAL |
RFC1184 | Telnet Linemode Option--- | D.A. Borman | 10/1/90 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC1116--- | DRAFT STANDARD |
RFC1143 | The Q Method of Implementing TELNET Option Negotiation--- | D.J. Bernstein | 2/1/90 | ASCII | --- | EXPERIMENTAL |
RFC1116 | Telnet Linemode option--- | D.A. Borman | 8/1/89 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC1184--- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1097 | Telnet subliminal-message option--- | B. Miller | 4/1/89 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC1096 | Telnet X display location option--- | G.A. Marcy | 3/1/89 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1091 | Telnet terminal-type option--- | J. VanBokkelen | 2/1/89 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0930--- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1079 | Telnet terminal speed option--- | C.L. Hedrick | 12/1/88 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1080 | Telnet remote flow control option--- | C.L. Hedrick | 11/1/88 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC1372--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC1073 | Telnet window size option--- | D. Waitzman | 10/1/88 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1053 | Telnet X.3 PAD option--- | S. Levy, T. Jacobson | 4/1/88 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1043 | Telnet Data Entry Terminal option--- | A. Yasuda, T. Thompson | 2/1/88 | ASCII | Updates RFC0732--- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC1041 | Telnet 3270 regime option--- | Y. Rekhter | 1/1/88 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0946 | Telnet terminal location number option--- | R. Nedved | 5/1/85 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0930 | Telnet terminal type option--- | M. Solomon, E. Wimmers | 1/1/85 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0884, Obsoleted by RFC1091--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0933 | Output marking Telnet option--- | S. Silverman | 1/1/85 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0927 | TACACS user identification Telnet option--- | B.A. Anderson | 12/1/84 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0884 | Telnet terminal type option--- | M. Solomon, E. Wimmers | 12/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC0930--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0885 | Telnet end of record option--- | J. Postel | 12/1/83 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0854 | Telnet Protocol Specification--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0764, NIC 18639--- | STANDARD |
RFC0855 | Telnet Option Specifications--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes NIC 18640--- | STANDARD |
RFC0856 | Telnet Binary Transmission--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes NIC 15389--- | STANDARD |
RFC0857 | Telnet Echo Option--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes NIC 15390--- | STANDARD |
RFC0858 | Telnet Suppress Go Ahead Option--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes NIC 15392--- | STANDARD |
RFC0859 | Telnet Status Option--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0651--- | STANDARD |
RFC0860 | Telnet Timing Mark Option--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes NIC 16238--- | STANDARD |
RFC0861 | Telnet Extended Options--- | J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | Obsoletes NIC 16239--- | STANDARD |
STD0027 | Binary Transmission Telnet Option--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
STD0028 | Echo Telnet Option--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
STD0029 | Suppress Go Ahead Telnet Option--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
STD0030 | Status Telnet Option--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
STD0031 | Timing Mark Telnet Option--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
STD0032 | Extended Options List Telnet Option--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
STD0008 | Telnet Protocol--- | J. Postel, J. Reynolds | 5/1/83 | ASCII | --- | STD |
RFC0818 | Remote User Telnet service--- | J. Postel | 11/1/82 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0779 | Telnet send-location option--- | E. Killian | 4/1/81 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0764 | Telnet Protocol specification--- | J. Postel | 6/1/80 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC0854--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0749 | Telnet SUPDUP-Output option--- | B. Greenberg | 9/18/78 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0748 | Telnet randomly-lose option--- | M.R. Crispin | 4/1/78 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0735 | Revised Telnet byte macro option--- | D. Crocker, R.H. Gumpertz | 11/3/77 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0729--- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0736 | Telnet SUPDUP option--- | M.R. Crispin | 10/31/77 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0732 | Telnet Data Entry Terminal option--- | J.D. Day | 9/12/77 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0731, Updated by RFC1043--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0731 | Telnet Data Entry Terminal option--- | J.D. Day | 6/27/77 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC0732--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0729 | Telnet byte macro option--- | D. Crocker | 5/13/77 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC0735--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0727 | Telnet logout option--- | M.R. Crispin | 4/27/77 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0728 | Minor pitfall in the Telnet Protocol--- | J.D. Day | 4/27/77 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0726 | Remote Controlled Transmission and Echoing Telnet option--- | J. Postel, D. Crocker | 3/8/77 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0698 | Telnet extended ASCII option--- | T. Mock | 7/23/75 | ASCII | --- | PROPOSED STANDARD |
RFC0703 | July, 1975, survey of New-Protocol Telnet Servers--- | D.W. Dodds | 7/11/75 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0688 | Tentative schedule for the new Telnet implementation for the TIP--- | D.C. Walden | 6/4/75 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0679 | February, 1975, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- | D.W. Dodds | 2/21/75 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0669 | November, 1974, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- | D.W. Dodds | 12/4/74 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0651 | Revised Telnet status option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | Obsoleted by RFC0859--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0652 | Telnet output carriage-return disposition option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0653 | Telnet output horizontal tabstops option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0654 | Telnet output horizontal tab disposition option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0655 | Telnet output formfeed disposition option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0656 | Telnet output vertical tabstops option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0657 | Telnet output vertical tab disposition option--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0658 | Telnet output linefeed disposition--- | D. Crocker | 10/25/74 | ASCII | --- | HISTORIC |
RFC0659 | Announcing additional Telnet options--- | J. Postel | 10/18/74 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0702 | September, 1974, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- | D.W. Dodds | 9/25/74 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0701 | August, 1974, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- | D.W. Dodds | 8/1/74 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0595 | Second thoughts in defense of the Telnet Go-Ahead--- | W. Hathaway | 12/12/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0596 | Second thoughts on Telnet Go-Ahead--- | E.A. Taft | 12/8/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0593 | Telnet and FTP implementation schedule change--- | A.M. McKenzie, J. Postel | 11/29/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0587 | Announcing new Telnet options--- | J. Postel | 11/13/73 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0562 | Modifications to the Telnet specification--- | A.M. McKenzie | 8/28/73 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0563 | Comments on the RCTE Telnet option--- | J. Davidson | 8/28/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0560 | Remote Controlled Transmission and Echoing Telnet option--- | D. Crocker, J. Postel | 8/18/73 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0559 | Comments on The New Telnet Protocol and its Implementation--- | A.K. Bhushan | 8/15/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0513 | Comments on the new Telnet specifications--- | W. Hathaway | 5/30/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0495 | Telnet Protocol specifications--- | A.M. McKenzie | 5/1/73 | ASCII | Obsoletes RFC0158--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0466 | Telnet logger/server for host LL-67--- | J.M. Winett | 2/27/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0461 | Telnet Protocol meeting announcement--- | A.M. McKenzie | 2/14/73 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0435 | Telnet issues--- | B. Cosell, D.C. Walden | 1/5/73 | ASCII | Updates RFC0318--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0393 | Comments on Telnet Protocol Changes--- | J.M. Winett | 10/3/72 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0340 | Proposed Telnet Changes--- | T.C. O'Sullivan | 5/15/72 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0328 | Suggested Telnet Protocol Changes--- | J. Postel | 4/29/72 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0318 | Telnet Protocols--- | J. Postel | 4/3/72 | ASCII | Updates RFC0158, Updated by RFC0435--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0216 | Telnet access to UCSB's On-Line System--- | J.E. White | 9/8/71 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0215 | NCP, ICP, and Telnet--- | A.M. McKenzie | 8/30/71 | ASCII | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0206 | User Telnet - description of an initial implementation--- | J.E. White | 8/9/71 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0158 | Telnet Protocol--- | T.C. O'Sullivan | 5/19/71 | (Not online) | Obsoleted by RFC0495, Updates RFC0139, Updated by RFC0318--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0139 | Discussion of Telnet Protocol--- | T.C. O'Sullivan | 5/7/71 | ASCII | Updates RFC0137, Updated by RFC0158--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0137 | Telnet Protocol - a proposed document--- | T.C. O'Sullivan | 4/30/71 | ASCII | Updated by RFC0139--- | UNKNOWN |
RFC0097 | First Cut at a Proposed Telnet Protocol--- | J.T. Melvin, R.W. Watson | 2/15/71 | (Not online) | --- | UNKNOWN |