---
title: Matching rule definition
description: New matching rules require additional server code extensions to be implemented on the PingDirectory server.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_server_administration_guide:pd_ds_matching_rule_def
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_server_administration_guide/pd_ds_matching_rule_def.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
---

# Matching rule definition

New matching rules require additional server code extensions to be implemented on the PingDirectory server.

If you need new matching rules, contact a Ping Identity support representative for assistance.

The following formal specification for attribute types is provided in [RFC 4512](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4512), section 4.1.3.

```
MatchingRuleDescription = "(" wsp    ; Left parentheses followed by a white space
numericoid                           ; Required numeric object identifier identifying
                                     ;   this matching rule
[ sp "NAME" sp qdescrs	             ; Short name descriptor
[ sp "DESC" sp qdstring              ; Description
[ sp "OBSOLETE" ]                    ; Specifies if the rule is inactive
sp "SYNTAX" sp numericoid            ; Assertion syntax
extensions wsp ")"	             ; Extensions followed by a white space and ")"
```