URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)

A URI is an identifier consisting of a sequence of characters matching the syntax rule that is named <URI> in RFC 3986.  It enables uniform identification of resources via a set of naming schemes.  A URI can be further classified as a locator, a name, or both.  The term "Uniform Resource Locator" (URL) refers to the subset of URIs that, in addition to identifying a resource, provides a means of locating the resource by describing its primary access mechanism (e.g., its network "location"). The term "Uniform Resource Name" (URN) has been used historically to refer to both URIs under the "urn" scheme [RFC2141], which are required to remain globally unique and persistent even when the resource ceases to exist or becomes unavailable, and to any other URI with the properties of a name. An example of a URI that is neither a URL nor a URN is sip:psap@example.com.