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Semantic Web

The Semantic Web is the idea of extending the World Wide Web by including additional data descriptors to web-published content so computers can make meaningful interpretations of the published data. Linked Open Data (LOD) is essential for the realization of the Semantic Web, as in order for it to function, computers must be able to access interlinked sets of structured data, along with sets of rules that can be used for inferencing. By supporting the creation of a web of machine-readable data, LOD works to advance the dream of a Semantic Web. The Semantic Web technology stack involves the Resource Description Framework (RDF), Resource Description Framework Schema (RDFS), SPARQL, and Web Ontology Language (OWL).

Examples​

  • Semantic Web (Wikipedia): “The Semantic Web Stack is an illustration of the hierarchy of languages, where each layer exploits and uses capabilities of the layers below. It shows how technologies that are standardized for Semantic Web are organized to make the Semantic Web possible.”

Diagram of the Semantic Web stack, showing a colour-coded hierarchy of semantic languages. The items at the top are dependant on the items below them. From top to bottom the blocks are user interface/applications, trust, proof, unifying logic, then on the same level there is SPARQL querying, OWL ontologies, and RIF/SWRL rules. Continuing down the stack there is tanxonomy RDFS, data interchange RDF, syntax XML, and on the very last level there are identifiers known as URI's and character sets like UNICODE.

Further Resources​