Introduction to RDF

Introduction to RDF

The Resource Description Framework (RDF) is the W3C standard used to describe network resources, such as the title, author, date of modification, content, and copyright information for a Web page.

The basics you should have

Before you move on, you need to have a basic understanding of the following:

• Html
• Xhtml
• Xml
• XML namespace

If you would like to learn about these projects first, please visit our home page.

What is RDF?

• RDF refers to the Resource Description Framework
• RDF is a framework for describing resources on the Web
• RDF provides a model for data and syntax so that independent groups can exchange and use it
• RDF is designed to be read and understood by computers
• RDF is not designed to show people
• RDF is written using XML
• RDF is part of W3C semantic network activity
• RDF is a W3C recommendation

RDF - Application example

• Describes the properties of a shopping item, such as price and availability
• A timesheet that describes a Web event
• Describes information about the page, such as the content, the author, and the date it was created and modified
• Describes the content and level of the network image
• Describes the content for the search engine
• Describe the e-library

RDF is designed to be readable by a computer

RDF is designed to provide a common way to describe information so that it can be read and understood by computer applications.

The RDF description is not designed to be displayed on the network.

RDF is written using XML

RDF documents are written in XML. The XML language used by RDF is called RDF/XML.

By using XML, RDF information can be easily exchanged between computers that use different types of operating systems and application languages.

In the RDF Tutorials section, we provide you with a simple RDF documentation.

RDF and Semantic Web

The RDF language is part of W3C's semantic web activities. The goal of W3C's Semantic Web Vision is to:

• Web information has an exact meaning
• Web information can be understood and processed by a computer
• Computers can consolidate information from the Web

RDF is the W3C standard

RDF became the W3C standard in February 2004.

W3C recommendations (standards) are presented as web standards by the industry and the web community. The W3C recommendation is a stable specification developed by the W3C Working Group and reviewed by W3C members.

The official W3C recommendations can be found via this link.

http://www.w3.org/RDF/