RTFM

<h2 id="list-of-similar-initialisms">List of similar initialisms</h2>
<ul><li>RTBM – "read the bloody manual"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a></li>
<li>RTFQ – "read the fucking question"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a></li>
<li>RTFA – "read the fucking/featured article"– common on news forums such as <a href="/facts/Fark/Xg0lGqGm">Fark</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a> and <a href="/facts/Slashdot/vVpMuby2">Slashdot</a>, where using "TFA" instead of "the article" has become a <a href="/facts/Internet_meme/f1fL5oT3">meme</a></li>
<li>WABM – "write a better manual" – an answer complaining that the manual is not written well<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a></li>
<li>RTFS – "read the fucking source" or "read the fucking standard" or "read the fucking syllabus"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a></li>
<li>RTFB – "read the fucking binary"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a></li>
<li>STFW – "search the fucking web"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/User_error/IQmYe4Fc">User error – Acronyms and other names</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Look up RTFM or RTFA in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

<ul><li> Media related to RTFM at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul>
<ul><li>RTBM – "read the bloody manual"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Sometimes censored as "Read the Friendly Manual" <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"RTFM. No seriously, R.T.F.M. Then ask your question". 4 August 2011. Retrieved 2021-10-15. <a href="https://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/paul/rtfm-no-seriously-r-t-f-m-then-ask-your-question/" target="_blank">https://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/paul/rtfm-no-seriously-r-t-f-m-then-ask-your-question/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"What is Read The F###ing Manual (RTFM)?". 15 May 2012. Retrieved 2021-10-15. <a href="https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13211/read-the-fing-manual-rtfm" target="_blank">https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13211/read-the-fing-manual-rtfm</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"RTFM: I did, and it didn't help". 19 November 2007. Retrieved 2021-10-15. <a href="https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/linux-and-open-source/rtfm-i-did-and-it-didnt-help/" target="_blank">https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/linux-and-open-source/rtfm-i-did-and-it-didnt-help/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"It's Time to Retire "RTFM"". 17 April 2019. Retrieved 2021-10-15. <a href="https://compassionatecoding.com/blog/2019/4/17/its-time-to-retire-rtfm" target="_blank">https://compassionatecoding.com/blog/2019/4/17/its-time-to-retire-rtfm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Howard, Michael, David LeBlanc, and John Viega. 19 Deadly Sins of Software Security: Programming Flaws and How to Fix Them. New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne, 2005. ISBN 0-07-226085-8. <a href="/wiki/John_Viega" target="_blank">/wiki/John_Viega</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Let me google that for you". 22 January 2007. Retrieved 2023-09-17. <a href="https://metatalk.metafilter.com/13526/Let-me-google-that-for-you" target="_blank">https://metatalk.metafilter.com/13526/Let-me-google-that-for-you</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"RTBM definition". foldoc.com. Retrieved 2009-12-08. <a href="http://foldoc.org/RTBM" target="_blank">http://foldoc.org/RTBM</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Kennedy, Daragh (2024). "R.T.F.Q." medium.com. Medium. <a href="https://medium.com/@daraghkennedy/r-t-f-q-2a3b1a13c66d" target="_blank">https://medium.com/@daraghkennedy/r-t-f-q-2a3b1a13c66d</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"Routine traffic stop has man up in arms. Er, caught red-handed. Er, never mind, just RTFA". Fark.com. 2008-11-28. Retrieved 2009-01-27. <a href="http://www.fark.com/comments/4047872/Routine-traffic-stop-has-man-up-in-arms-Er-caught-red-handed-Er-never-mind-just-RTFA" target="_blank">http://www.fark.com/comments/4047872/Routine-traffic-stop-has-man-up-in-arms-Er-caught-red-handed-Er-never-mind-just-RTFA</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">"RTFM is a four-letter word". Software Sustainability Institute. Retrieved 2 December 2013. <a href="http://software.ac.uk/blog/2012-03-27-rtfm-four-letter-word" target="_blank">http://software.ac.uk/blog/2012-03-27-rtfm-four-letter-word</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">"RTFS". The Jargon File – version 4.4.7. Retrieved 8 March 2017. <a href="http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/RTFS.html" target="_blank">http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/RTFS.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"RTFB". The Jargon File – version 4.4.7. Retrieved 8 March 2017. <a href="http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/RTFB.html" target="_blank">http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/RTFB.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Eric S. Raymond (21 May 2014). "RTFM and STFW: How To Tell You've Seriously Screwed Up". How to ask Smart Questions. Retrieved 17 November 2023. <a href="/wiki/Eric_S._Raymond" target="_blank">/wiki/Eric_S._Raymond</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"RTBM definition". foldoc.com. Retrieved 2009-12-08. <a href="http://foldoc.org/RTBM" target="_blank">http://foldoc.org/RTBM</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

RTFM open-in-new

RTFM