Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

The SCP Foundation is a fictional organization at the center of a collaborative writing wiki. In its stories, it investigates unusual phenomena, contains them, and keeps them secret from the public. There is no single timeline every story must follow, and an SCP’s Object Class describes containment—not a simple danger rating.

What is the SCP Foundation?

The SCP Wiki is a collaborative fiction site built around the idea that some things do not obey the ordinary rules of reality. In that fictional setting, the Foundation researches and contains these anomalies while concealing them from the public. It is a story-world organization, not the real community that writes and reads the wiki.

SCP articles often use clinical, bureaucratic language to make extraordinary events feel like case files. The site also includes different tones and genres, from horror to humor. The official Guide for Newcomers introduces the premise and points readers toward ways to explore.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The FAQ puts the Foundation’s fictional self-image this way: “We are the last bastion of security in a world where natural laws rapidly break down.” This is in-universe Foundation wording, not a statement by a real-world spokesperson. (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is there one SCP canon?

No. The wiki has no centralized canon that binds every article into one consistent continuity. Some stories share a universe, form a series, or refer to one another; others contradict those works or simply tell a different version of events. Readers do not need to reconcile every inconsistency into a master timeline.

A practical way to begin is to pick an article, a reading guide, or a linked series that interests you, then follow the references within that thread. The newcomer guide and FAQ both describe this flexibility: individual canons can exist, but none governs the entire site.

What do SCP Object Classes mean?

Object Class is principally an indication of how difficult an anomaly is to contain reliably, and it helps explain the Foundation’s containment needs and priorities. It is not a ranking of how dangerous an anomaly would be if it escaped. The Object Classes guide defines the categories, while the SCP writing guide explicitly distinguishes containment difficulty from danger.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Class What it generally indicates What it does not automatically mean
Safe The anomaly can be contained easily and reliably. It is harmless. A Safe anomaly can still be dangerous to handle or activate.
Euclid Containment is less reliable, often because the anomaly is unpredictable or not well understood. Autonomous or sapient anomalies are generally treated as Euclid because they can act independently. It is necessarily more dangerous than a Safe anomaly.
Keter Consistent, reliable containment is exceedingly difficult and may require extensive or complex procedures. It is automatically dangerous. Keter is about containment difficulty, not a danger score.
Thaumiel The Foundation uses the anomaly to contain other SCPs. A higher rung on a danger ladder. In the fictional setting, Thaumiel information is described as highly classified.

Think of the categories along three related questions: How reliably can it be contained? How predictable or understood is it? What role does it play in containment? Safe versus Euclid often turns on reliability and uncertainty; Euclid versus Keter on the degree of containment difficulty; Thaumiel on its use to contain other anomalies.

Rank #3
Sale
Scp Foundation Artbook Red Journal
  • The book is released under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.

These four familiar classes are only an introduction. The SCP Tagging Guide includes additional standard and esoteric class tags, such as Apollyon, Archon, Cernunnos, Ticonderoga, Neutralized, Decommissioned, and Pending. Articles may use multiple or esoteric classes, and a class may change within an article’s final version.

What do common SCP terms mean?

  • Anomaly / anomalous: In the fictional premise, a thing or event that does not follow the known rules of reality.
  • SCP: The FAQ gives two expansions: “Special Containment Procedures” and “Secure. Contain. Protect.” It also notes “skip” or “scip” as slang for SCP.
  • Special Containment Procedures: The instructions in an SCP article for containing its subject and anomalous effects.
  • Mobile Task Force (MTF): A specialized unit deployed for particular threats or conditions. Teams may range from paramilitary units to specialist researchers.
  • Group of Interest (GoI): A group besides the Foundation that deals with anomalous matters.
  • D-Class: A recurring fictional personnel designation. There is no universal account of D-Class origins or fate; portrayals vary between stories.
  • Infohazard: Information that is dangerous to know or encounter. The glossary distinguishes it from a cognitohazard, which requires direct contact.

These are useful starting definitions, not rules that every author applies identically. A particular story may define a term more specifically within its own continuity. For additional terminology, see Dr. Mackenzie’s Glossary of Terms.

Rank #4
Sale
SCP Foundation Artbook | Paperback Edition | Black Journal
  • The book is released under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Where should a beginner start reading?

You do not need to read the wiki in publication order or learn every class and acronym first. Start with the Guide for Newcomers for orientation, then use a reading guide or follow references from a story that catches your attention. The official Guide Hub collects reader and writing resources.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

If you later want to make a derivative work such as a game, poster, or merchandise, consult the wiki’s Licensing Guide for the applicable rules. Derivative works must follow the relevant licensing requirements.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 3
Scp Foundation Artbook Red Journal
Scp Foundation Artbook Red Journal
The book is released under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.
$27.42
SaleBestseller No. 4
SCP Foundation Artbook | Paperback Edition | Black Journal
SCP Foundation Artbook | Paperback Edition | Black Journal
The book is released under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.
$24.45
SaleBestseller No. 5

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.