Cool URIs Don't Change — W3C's 1998 Web Design Principle
Original: Cool URIs Don't Change (1998)
Why This Matters
This 26-year-old W3C principle remains a core reference for URI design, REST architecture, and long-term web infrastructure planning.
In 1998, W3C's Tim Berners-Lee published 'Cool URIs Don't Change,' arguing that well-designed URIs should remain stable indefinitely. The document became a foundational reference for URI design and web architecture best practices.
Published in 1998 on the W3C website, 'Cool URIs Don't Change' is a seminal document authored by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. The piece argues that URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) should be designed for long-term stability, warning that broken links degrade the web's value over time. Berners-Lee advises against including implementation details such as file extensions (.html, .php), author names, server technology, or dates in URIs, as these are subject to change. The document introduces the concept that a URI's longevity reflects the commitment of its publisher. It recommends using short, generic, topic-based path structures that remain meaningful regardless of technology changes. The piece has been widely cited in web development, content management, and information architecture communities for over two decades, influencing standards such as REST API design and semantic web practices.