linkeddataStandards

Linked Data standards are a set of specifications and best practices that enable the publication and interconnection of structured data on the World Wide Web. The primary goal of Linked Data is to make data machine-readable and to allow it to be linked to other data sources, creating a global, interconnected "Web of Data."

A foundational standard for Linked Data is the Resource Description Framework (RDF). RDF is a W3C recommendation that provides a model for describing resources. It uses a subject-predicate-object structure, often referred to as triples, to represent information. For example, a triple could be "Paris" (subject) "is capital of" (predicate) "France" (object).

Another key standard is the RDF Schema (RDFS). RDFS extends RDF by providing a vocabulary for describing RDF resources, such as classes and properties, and their relationships. This allows for the creation of ontologies that define the meaning and structure of data.

SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language (SPARQL) is the standard query language for RDF data. It allows users to retrieve and manipulate data stored in RDF format, enabling complex queries across multiple datasets.

Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) are fundamental to Linked Data as they serve as unique identifiers for resources. URIs can identify anything from web pages to physical objects to abstract concepts, ensuring that data can be unambiguously referenced and linked.

Together, these standards allow for the creation of a web where data is not just presented for human consumption but is also structured and linked in a way that machines can understand and process, facilitating data integration and enabling new applications and insights.