Current and Previous Release File Formats

The standard format in which has been distributed since 2012 is known as (RF2). It was developed in response to extensive feedback on the original release file format, now known as(RF1), in whichwas distributed between its first release in 2002 and 2012. The SNOMED CT International Edition no longer supported or distributed in RF1. However, a conversion tool to general RF1 style files from the RF2 release files is available.

The key enhancements inwere:

• More robust and consistent version representation;
• Inclusion of a moduleId and module dependency mechanism, which together enable modularization of releases while representing dependencies between modules;

• to provide an extensible and versionable way to configure Including support for subsets, maps, annotations, alternative hierarchies, etc.;

• Use of an addedto represent metadata about the structure ofitself.

In common with the earlier release formatspecifies files that: 

• Represent the components of: 

• Provide standard representations for subsets, language preferences and maps to other codes and classifications.

• Are distributed as tab-delimited text files - which represent character content in accordance with the UnicodeUTF-8 specification;

• Useas the permanentof released core components;

• Supportto theusingallocated to licensees to denote the provenance of added components and to ensureuniqueness.