VCard

vCard, also known as VCF ("Virtual Contact File"), is a file format standard for electronic business cards. vCards can be attached to e-mail messages, sent via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), on the World Wide Web, instant messaging, NFC or through QR code. They can contain name and address information, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, URLs, logos, photographs, and audio clips.

vCard is used as a data interchange format in smartphone contacts, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal information managers (PIMs) and customer relationship management systems (CRMs). To accomplish these data interchange applications, other "vCard variants" have been used and proposed as "variant standards", each for its specific niche: XML representation, JSON representation, or web pages.

Overview

The standard Internet media type (MIME type) for a vCard has varied with each version of the specification.<ref name="mediatype">RFC 6350, section 10.1 "Media Type Registration"</ref>

vCards can be embedded in web pages.

RDFa with the vCard Ontology can be used in HTML and various XML-family languages, e.g. SVG, MathML.

Related formats

jCard, "The JSON Format for vCard" is a standard proposal of 2014 in Template:IETF RFC. RFC 7095 describes a lossless method of representing vCard instances in JSON, using arrays of sequence-dependent tag–value pairs. jCard has been incorporated into several other protocols, including RDAP, the Protocol to Access White Space Databases (PAWS, described in Template:IETF RFC), and SIP, which (via Template:IETF RFC) uses it to provide contact information for the operator of an intermediary which has rejected a call.

hCard is a microformat that allows a vCard to be embedded inside an HTML page. It makes use of CSS class names to identify each vCard property. Normal HTML markup and CSS styling can be used alongside the hCard class names without affecting the webpage's ability to be parsed by a hCard parser. h-card is the microformats2 update to hCard.

MeCard is a variation of vCard made by NTT DoCoMo for smartphones using QR codes. It uses a very similar syntax, but in a more consolidated way as the storage space on QR codes is limited. It's also limited in the amount of data that can be stored, not just by the standard but the size of QR codes.

Example

An example of a simple vCard (from RFC 6350 of August, 2011, abbreviated):

 BEGIN:VCARD
 VERSION:4.0
 FN:Simon Perreault
 N:Perreault;Simon;;;ing. jr,M.Sc.
 BDAY:--0203
 GENDER:M
 EMAIL;TYPE=work:[email protected]
 END:VCARD

This is the vCard for "Simon Perreault" (the author of RFC 6350), with his birthday (omitting the year), email address and gender.

Properties

vCard defines the following property types.

All vCards begin with BEGIN:VCARD and end with END:VCARD. All vCards must contain the VERSION property, which specifies the vCard version. VERSION must come immediately after BEGIN, except in the vCard 2.1 and 3.0 standards, which allows it to be anywhere in the vCard. Otherwise, properties can be defined in any order.

Name	Property presence			Description	Example
	Template:Abbr 2.1<ref name="2.1specification.rtf">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Abbr 3.0			Template:Abbr 4.0
ADR	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	A structured representation of the physical delivery address for the vCard object.	ADR;TYPE=home:;;123 Main St.;Springfield;IL;12345;USA
AGENT	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:No	Information about another person who will act on behalf of the vCard object. Typically this would be an area administrator, assistant, or secretary for the individual. Can be either a URL or an embedded vCard.	AGENT:http://mi6.gov.uk/007
ANNIVERSARY	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Defines the person's anniversary.	ANNIVERSARY:19901021
BDAY	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Date of birth of the individual associated with the vCard.	BDAY:19700310
BEGIN	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	All vCards must start with this property.	BEGIN:VCARD
CALADRURI	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	A URL to use for sending a scheduling request to the person's calendar.	CALADRURI:http://example.com/calendar/jdoe
CALURI	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	A URL to the person's calendar.	CALURI:http://example.com/calendar/jdoe
CATEGORIES	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	A list of "tags" that can be used to describe the object represented by this vCard.	CATEGORIES:swimmer,biker
CLASS	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:No	Describes the sensitivity of the information in the vCard.	CLASS:public
CLIENTPIDMAP	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Used for synchronizing different revisions of the same vCard.	CLIENTPIDMAP:1;urn:uuid:3df403f4-5924-4bb7-b077-3c711d9eb34b
EMAIL	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The address for electronic mail communication with the vCard object.	EMAIL:[email protected]
END	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	All vCards must end with this property.	END:VCARD
FBURL	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Defines a URL that shows when the person is "free" or "busy" on their calendar.	FBURL:http://example.com/fb/jdoe
FN	Template:Optional	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	The formatted name string associated with the vCard object.	FN:Dr. John Doe
GENDER	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Defines the person's gender.	GENDER:F
GEO	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Specifies a latitude and longitude.	2.1, 3.0: GEO:39.95;-75.1667 4.0: GEO:geo:39.95,-75.1667
IMPP	Template:No	Template:Maybe	Template:Optional	Defines an instant messenger handle. This property was introduced in a separate RFC when the latest vCard version was 3.0. Therefore, 3.0 vCards might use this property without otherwise declaring it.	IMPP:aim:[email protected]
KEY	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The public encryption key associated with the vCard object. It may point to an external URL, may be plain text, or may be embedded in the vCard as a Base64 encoded block of text.	2.1: KEY;PGP:http://example.com/key.pgp 2.1: KEY;PGP;ENCODING=BASE64:[base64-data] 3.0: KEY;TYPE=PGP:http://example.com/key.pgp 3.0: KEY;TYPE=PGP;ENCODING=b:[base64-data] 4.0: KEY;MEDIATYPE=application/pgp-keys:http://example.com/key.pgp 4.0: KEY:data:application/pgp-keys;base64,[base64-data]
KIND	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || KIND:individual
LABEL	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:N/a	Represents the actual text that should be put on the mailing label when delivering a physical package to the person/object associated with the vCard (related to the ADR property). Not supported in version 4.0. Instead, this information is stored in the LABEL parameter of the ADR property. Example: ADR;TYPE=home;LABEL="123 Main St\nNew York, NY 12345":;;123 Main St;New York;NY;12345;USA	LABEL;TYPE=HOME:123 Main St.\nSpringfield, IL 12345\nUSA
LANG	Template:Maybe<ref name="2.1specification.rtf" />Template:Rp	Template:No	Template:Optional	Defines a language that the person speaks.	LANG:fr-CA
LOGO	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	An image or graphic of the logo of the organization that is associated with the individual to which the vCard belongs. It may point to an external URL or may be embedded in the vCard as a Base64 encoded block of text.	2.1: LOGO;PNG:http://example.com/logo.png 2.1: LOGO;PNG;ENCODING=BASE64:[base64-data] 3.0: LOGO;TYPE=PNG:http://example.com/logo.png 3.0: LOGO;TYPE=PNG;ENCODING=b:[base64-data] 4.0: LOGO;MEDIATYPE=image/png:http://example.com/logo.png 4.0: LOGO;ENCODING=BASE64;TYPE=PNG:[base64-data]
MAILER	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:No	Type of email program used.	MAILER:Thunderbird
MEMBER	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Defines a member that is part of the group that this vCard represents. Acceptable values include:Template:Bulleted listThe KIND property must be set to "group" in order to use this property.	MEMBER:urn:uuid:03a0e51f-d1aa-4385-8a53-e29025acd8af
N	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Optional	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || N:Doe;John;;Dr;
NAME	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:No	Provides a textual representation of the SOURCE property.
NICKNAME	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	One or more descriptive/familiar names for the object represented by this vCard.	NICKNAME:Jon,Johnny
NOTE	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Specifies supplemental information or a comment that is associated with the vCard.	NOTE:I am proficient in Tiger-Crane Style,\nand I am more than proficient in the exquisite art of the Samurai sword.
ORG	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The name and optionally the unit(s) of the organization associated with the vCard object. This property is based on the X.520 Organization Name attribute and the X.520 Organization Unit attribute.	ORG:Google;GMail Team;Spam Detection Squad
PHOTO	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	An image or photograph of the individual associated with the vCard. It may point to an external URL or may be embedded in the vCard as a Base64 encoded block of text.	2.1: PHOTO;JPEG:http://example.com/photo.jpg 2.1: PHOTO;JPEG;ENCODING=BASE64:[base64-data] 3.0: PHOTO;TYPE=JPEG;VALUE=URI:http://example.com/photo.jpg 3.0: PHOTO;TYPE=JPEG;ENCODING=b:[base64-data] 4.0: PHOTO;MEDIATYPE=image/jpeg:http://example.com/photo.jpg 4.0: PHOTO;ENCODING=BASE64;TYPE=JPEG:[base64-data]
PRODID	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The identifier for the product that created the vCard object.	PRODID:-//ONLINE DIRECTORY//NONSGML Version 1//EN
PROFILE	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:No	States that the vCard is a vCard.	PROFILE:VCARD
RELATED	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Another entity that the person is related to. Acceptable values include:Template:Bulleted list	RELATED;TYPE=friend:urn:uuid:03a0e51f-d1aa-4385-8a53-e29025acd8af
REV	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	A timestamp for the last time the vCard was updated.	REV:20121201T134211Z
ROLE	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The role, occupation, or business category of the vCard object within an organization.	ROLE:Executive
SORT-STRING	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:N/a	Defines a string that should be used when an application sorts this vCard in some way. Not supported in version 4.0. Instead, this information is stored in the SORT-AS parameter of the N and/or ORG properties.	SORT-STRING:Doe
SOUND	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	By default, if this property is not grouped with other properties it specifies the pronunciation of the FN property of the vCard object. It may point to an external URL or may be embedded in the vCard as a Base64 encoded block of text.	2.1: SOUND;OGG:http://example.com/sound.ogg 2.1: SOUND;OGG;ENCODING=BASE64:[base64-data] 3.0: SOUND;TYPE=OGG:http://example.com/sound.ogg 3.0: SOUND;TYPE=OGG;ENCODING=b:[base64-data] 4.0: SOUND;MEDIATYPE=audio/ogg:http://example.com/sound.ogg 4.0: SOUND:data:audio/ogg;base64,[base64-data]
SOURCE	Template:No	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	A URL that can be used to get the latest version of this vCard.	SOURCE:http://johndoe.com/vcard.vcf
TEL	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The canonical number string for a telephone number for telephony communication with the vCard object.	TEL;TYPE=cell:(123) 555-5832
TITLE	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Specifies the job title, functional position or function of the individual associated with the vCard object within an organization.	TITLE:V.P. Research and Development
TZ	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	The time zone of the vCard object.	2.1, 3.0: TZ:-0500 4.0: TZ:America/New_York
UID	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Specifies a value that represents a persistent, globally unique identifier associated with the object.	UID:urn:uuid:da418720-3754-4631-a169-db89a02b831b
URL	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	Template:Optional	A URL pointing to a website that represents the person in some way. Default = "homepage"	URL;TITLE:https://www.johndoe.com
VERSION	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	The version of the vCard specification. In version 4.0, this must come right after the BEGIN property.	VERSION:3.0
XML	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Optional	Any XML data that is attached to the vCard. This is used if the vCard was encoded in XML (xCard standard) and the XML document contained elements which are not part of the xCard standard.	XML:<b>Not an xCard XML element</b>

See also

• CardDAV
• FOAF (ontology)
• Geo URI scheme

External links

• vCard 4.0 at its developer CalConnect
• Template:IETF RFC describing the vCard format version 4
• vCard and vCalendar (old versions) from the Internet Mail Consortium in the Internet Archive