vCard 4.0 Format Specifications and Examples
Complete guide to the latest vCard 4.0 format with modern features, enhanced internationalization, and future-ready specifications
Overview of vCard 4.0
vCard 4.0, defined in RFC 6350 and published in 2011, represents the most modern and feature-rich version of the vCard specification. It introduces significant improvements in internationalization, data types, and extensibility while maintaining backward compatibility where possible. This version is designed to meet the needs of modern contact management systems and global communication.
🚀 Latest Standard
vCard 4.0 is the current standard for contact data interchange, offering the most advanced features and best support for modern communication needs. While adoption is still growing, it represents the future of contact management. Convert between vCard versions with ourvCard Version Converter.
Major Improvements Over vCard 3.0
- • Enhanced property types
- • Better relationship support
- • Improved date/time handling
- • Extended internationalization
- • New communication properties
- • Structured property values
- • Improved parameter handling
- • Better extensibility mechanisms
- • Enhanced validation rules
- • Standardized property grouping
Basic Structure
vCard 4.0 maintains the familiar structure while allowing for more sophisticated property definitions:
Required Properties
- BEGIN:VCARD - Start marker
- VERSION:4.0 - Version identifier
- FN - Formatted name (at least one required)
- END:VCARD - End marker
Note: vCard 4.0 removed the requirement for the N property, making FN the only required name field.
New Properties in vCard 4.0
- IMPP - Instant messaging
- LANG - Language preferences
- SOCIALPROFILE - Social media profiles
- RELATED - Related people
- MEMBER - Group membership
- KIND - Entity type
- CALADRURI - Calendar address
- CALURI - Calendar URI
- FBURL - Free/busy URL
- GENDER - Gender identity
- BIRTHPLACE - Birth location
- DEATHPLACE - Death location
- DEATHDATE - Death date
Comprehensive Example
Here's a detailed vCard 4.0 example showcasing new properties and features:
Enhanced Property Features
KIND Property
The KIND property specifies the type of entity represented by the vCard:
IMPP Property (Instant Messaging)
Enhanced support for instant messaging and chat services:
Language Preferences
Specify language preferences with priority ordering:
Social Media Profiles
Native support for social media and professional profiles:
Advanced Date and Time Handling
vCard 4.0 provides more flexible date and time formats:
Partial Dates
Time Zones
Enhanced time zone support using standard identifiers:
Relationship Support
vCard 4.0 provides sophisticated relationship modeling:
RELATED Property
Group Membership
Geographic Enhancements
Improved geographic data support with URI-based coordinates:
Calendar Integration
Enhanced calendar and scheduling properties:
Preference Parameters
vCard 4.0 introduces a standardized preference system:
Minimal Valid Example
The simplest valid vCard 4.0 file:
Group vCard Example
vCard 4.0 can represent groups and organizations:
Best Practices for vCard 4.0
Implementation Guidelines
- • Use meaningful UIDs (UUIDs are recommended)
- • Leverage preference parameters for prioritization
- • Include KIND property for clarity
- • Use standard time zone identifiers
- • Implement proper relationship linking
- • Support multiple language preferences
- • Use structured geographic coordinates
- • Test with vCard 4.0 compatible applications
Compatibility Considerations
⚠️ Adoption Status
- • Growing support but not yet universal
- • Some applications may not support all 4.0 features
- • Consider fallback to 3.0 for maximum compatibility
- • Test thoroughly with target applications
- • New properties may be ignored by older readers
Migration Strategies
When migrating to vCard 4.0:
- Feature Assessment: Evaluate which 4.0 features you need
- Compatibility Testing: Test with all target applications
- Gradual Migration: Start with basic 4.0 features
- Fallback Planning: Maintain 3.0 versions for compatibility
- Data Validation: Ensure proper formatting of new properties
Future Considerations
vCard 4.0 is designed to be extensible and future-ready. Its improved structure supports emerging communication methods and modern contact management needs. As adoption grows, it will become the standard for contact data interchange.
Conclusion
vCard 4.0 represents the cutting edge of contact data standards, offering sophisticated features for modern communication needs. While adoption is still growing, its enhanced capabilities make it the ideal choice for new applications that need to support complex contact relationships, multiple communication channels, and international users.
Organizations planning for the future should consider implementing vCard 4.0 support, as it provides the foundation for next-generation contact management systems.