[whatwg/url] URN validity as a valid URL string (Issue #868)

pzb created an issue (whatwg/url#868)

### What is the issue with the URL Standard?

In the examples table in section 4, `urn:isbn:9780307476463` is listed as a **valid URL string**. At first glance, it seems to be a **absolute-URL string**, but appears to fail because:
* `urn` is a URL-scheme string that is not a special scheme, therefore must be followed by a _relative-URL string_ 
* `isbn:9780307476463` does not start with `/` so it cannot be a _scheme-relative-URL string_ or _path-absolute-URL string_
* leaving the only the _path-relative-scheme-less-URL string_ for _relative-URL string_ , but 
* `isbn:9780307476463` fails the test of "does not start with: a URL-scheme string, followed by U+003A (:)"

How is the URN string a valid URL string if it doesn't have a valid relative-URL string?

The term "opaque path" is used in various places in the spec, but does is not used in the definition of _valid URL string_.  One solution might be to better define "opaque path" and use it in the definition.

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Received on Sunday, 30 March 2025 15:40:11 UTC