For US patents: pto is the ``best'' place for information about patents. Not necessarily the easiest, but you asked for the best.
No, the use of an attorney or registered agent is not required for filing a patent application. However, an attorney or registered agent is often a useful resource and the USPTO recommends the use of such for preparing a patent application and conducting the proceedings in the USPTO.
China, the United States, the European Union, and Japan lead the number of patent applications filed in their home jurisdictions in 2022; however, the U.S. saw a dip in applications from 2021 to 2022.
A provisional application for patent (provisional application) is a U.S. national application filed in the USPTO for utility and plant inventions.
Format of a Patent Application The Specification. The Title. The Description. The Claims. The Drawings. The Abstract. Sample Specifications. Minimum Requirements for a Filing Date.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
No, the use of an attorney or registered agent is not required for filing a patent application. However, an attorney or registered agent is often a useful resource and the USPTO recommends the use of such for preparing a patent application and conducting the proceedings in the USPTO.