# Introduction

iSHARE is a collaborative effort to improve conditions for data-sharing for organisations aiming to collaborate in a data space. The functional scope of the iSHARE Trust Framework focuses on topics of identification, authentication and authorisation.

## Reader's guide <a href="#introduction-readersguide" id="introduction-readersguide"></a>

* iSHARE's introductory section describes the Framework's starting points: its goals, the guiding principles and the governance of the Trust Framework.
* The '[releases](https://framework.ishare.eu/releases)' section describes the release notes, planning of future releases and version history of the iSHARE Trust Framework.
* The '[main aspects of the iSHARE Trust Framework](https://framework.ishare.eu/main-aspects-of-the-ishare-trust-framework)' section summarises the most important functionality of the Framework, roles, and the technical, operational and legal provisions enabling it;
* The '[use cases](https://framework.ishare.eu/use-cases)' section showcases the key functionalities in four use cases.
* The '[detailed descriptions](https://framework.ishare.eu/detailed-descriptions)' section explains the in-depth Functional, Technical, Legal and Operational agreements that, together, improve data-sharing;
* The Trust Framework concludes with the '[glossary and legal notices](https://framework.ishare.eu/glossary-and-legal-notices)' section.

Within the iSHARE Trust Framework documentation, the following notational conventions apply:

* The keywords 'MUST', 'MUST NOT', 'REQUIRED', 'SHALL', 'SHALL NOT', 'SHOULD', 'SHOULD NOT', 'RECOMMENDED', 'MAY', and 'OPTIONAL' in this document are to be interpreted as described in IETF [RFC 2119](http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2119.txt) whenever this note is at the top of the chapter:
  * *This part of the iSHARE Trust Framework is considered normative and is therefore compliant with RFC 2119.*