Resource description framework or RDF is a graph data model. Its value lies in the things it can do uniquely, like describing resources in the W3C’s Semantic Web activity. RDF’s simple data model and ability to model disparate, abstract concepts has led to its increasing use in knowledge management applications unrelated to Semantic Web activity. ZD Net brought this interesting information to us in their article, “Graph databases and RDF: It’s a family affair.”
Part of what made RDF notorious may also be one of its biggest strengths: rich semantics and inference. RDF has different types of schemas one can use, ranging from RDFS to OWL2 variants. Each of these offers a different trade-off between expressiveness and complexity, ranging from simple constrains and inheritance to description logic. Some RDF stores, including GraphDB, can also infer new knowledge from existing facts.
Melody K. Smith
Sponsored by Data Harmony, a unit of Access Innovations, the world leader in indexing and making content findable.
