Resource Description Framework (RDF)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_Description_Framework)
The Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a family of World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) specifications[1] originally designed as a metadata data model. It has come to be used as a general method for conceptual description or modeling of information that is implemented in web resources, using a variety of syntax notations and data serialization formats. It is also used in knowledge management applications.
RDF was adopted as a W3C recommendation in 1999. The RDF 1.0 specification was published in 2004, the RDF 1.1 specification in 2014.
Resource Description Framework (RDF)
(https://www.w3.org/2001/sw/wiki/Main_Page)
Overview
RDF is a standard model for data interchange on the Web. RDF has features that facilitate data merging even if the underlying schemas differ, and it specifically supports the evolution of schemas over time without requiring all the data consumers to be changed.
RDF extends the linking structure of the Web to use URIs to name the relationship between things as well as the two ends of the link (this is usually referred to as a “triple”). Using this simple model, it allows structured and semi-structured data to be mixed, exposed, and shared across different applications.
This linking structure forms a directed, labeled graph, where the edges represent the named link between two resources, represented by the graph nodes. This graph view is the easiest possible mental model for RDF and is often used in easy-to-understand visual explanations.
What is RDF? (Joshua Tauberer, 2006)
(http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2001/01/24/rdf.html)
Building the Semantic Web
On the Semantic Web (SemWeb), computers do the browsing (and searching, and querying, and…) for us. The SemWeb enables computers to seek out knowledge distributed throughout the Web, mesh it, and then take action based on it. Take an analogy: the current web is a decentralized platform for distributed presentations, while the SemWeb is a decentralized platform for distributed knowledge. Resource Description Framework (RDF) is the W3C standard for encoding knowledge.
There, of course, is knowledge on the current web, but it’s off limits to computers. Consider a Wikipedia page, which might convey a lot of information to the human reader, but to the computer displaying the page all it sees is presentation markup. To the extent that computers make sense of HTML, images, Flash, etc., it’s almost always for the purpose of creating a presentation for the end user. The real content, the knowledge the files are conveying to the human, is opaque to the computer………
XML-RDF
(http://www.w3schools.com/xml/xml_rdf.asp)
What is RDF?
- RDF stands for Resource Description Framework
- RDF is a framework for describing resources on the web
- RDF is designed to be read and understood by computers
- RDF is not designed for being displayed to people
- RDF is written in XML
- RDF is a part of the W3C’s Semantic Web Activity
- RDF is a W3C Recommendation from 10. February 2004
RDF – Examples of Use
- Describing properties for shopping items, such as price and availability
- Describing time schedules for web events
- Describing information about web pages (content, author, created and modified date)
- Describing content and rating for web pictures
- Describing content for search engines
- Describing electronic libraries
RDF is Designed to be Read by Computers
RDF was designed to provide a common way to describe information so it can be read and understood by computer applications.
RDF descriptions are not designed to be displayed on the web.
RDF is Written in XML
RDF documents are written in XML. The XML language used by RDF is called RDF/XML.
By using XML, RDF information can easily be exchanged between different types of computers using different types of operating systems and application languages.
RDF and “The Semantic Web”
The RDF language is a part of the W3C’s Semantic Web Activity. W3C’s “Semantic Web Vision” is a future where:
- Web information has exact meaning
- Web information can be understood and processed by computers
- Computers can integrate information from the web
RDF uses Web identifiers (URIs) to identify resources.
RDF describes resources with properties and property values.