RDF - Resource Description Framework

Before getting into SPARQL, a developer should understand RDF, because learning SPARQL without RDF is like SQL without a database!

About RDF

RDF is a part of the semantic web initiative. Just as HTML was designed as a way to render content in a presentable fashion on a screen, RDF was designed to describe web-based information in a language that would be easily legible by computer applications.

RDF, like SPARQL, is a W3C recommendation. It is XML-based, with a simple schema that allows for a flexible creation of descriptive files.

RDF Usage

RDF is an extremely flexible framework, designed to be able to describe virtually any form of information. Thus, its simple architecture is really only designed to allow the description of a resource (link). The actual data contents of the RDF are completely open - one can supply virtually any XML content that accurately describes the information located at the resource defined.

Examples of ways to use RDF: product catalogs, media playlists and other types of library content, search content, web / article authoring information, and site maps.

RDF Example

Here's a quick example of an RDF file listing 2 products in a product catalog.




    
        Item 1
        This is a short description of my item
        USD
        12.95
    
    
    
        Item 2
        This is a short description of my item
        USD
        9.95

The contents of this RDF file would represent the following tabular data:

Name	Description	Currency	Price
Item 1	This is a short description of my item	USD	12.95
Item 2	This is a short description of my item	USD	9.95