Proposal for RDF interfaces

[Konrad Krössenwahn]

Hello,

i would like to propose new interfaces representing RDF terms (https://www.w3.org/RDF/) to have a basement for framework/library interoperability.

# Motivation

There are currently 5 RDF-libraries for PHP available (EasyRdf, Erfurt, hardf, ARC2 and Saft). Each implements different areas with various quality 

and feature-coverage. Combined, they provide a rich feature-set from RDF data handling, serialization and parsing to database access. 

Therefore it is important, that each library uses the same data model for RDF data to allow data interchange.

# Background

The proposed interfaces and example implementations are based on a PHP RDF framework i maintain (https://github.com/SaftIng/Saft). 

This means, that they are battle tested and i already created (basic) converter to work with all major frameworks.

# Further information

This is my first proposal and i am new to this PHP-FIG/PSR stuff, so if forgot something, please let me know. :)

Quick link for the specification: https://github.com/SaftIng/fig-standards/blob/psr-rdf/proposed/rdf/rdf.md

Link for interfaces and example implementation: https://github.com/SaftIng/PsrRdf

Kinda regards

Konrad Abicht

[Pieter Colpaert]

As the author of hardf I +1 the need for such a specification and if this would become a PHP-FIG standard, I will comply to it.

Kind regards,

Pieter

Op dinsdag 7 november 2017 15:11:40 UTC+1 schreef Konrad A.:

[Alessandro Lai]

Hello!

As I've already stated on the PR (https://github.com/php-fig/fig-standards/pull/958#pullrequestreview-77724961) you should follow the PSR workflow and form a working group with a CC member as a sponsor. Feel free to use this thread as a starting point!

[Konrad A.]

Hello Alessandro,

thanks for the reply. I have a hard time finding a list of all Core Committee members (only found http://www.php-fig.org/members/ at the moment). And what would you suggest to reach them/ask them directly?

Regards

Konrad

[Alessandro Lai]

Michael (one of the current secretaries, besides me) already replied in the PR: https://github.com/php-fig/fig-standards/pull/958#issuecomment-345666199

Reach to him and ask any question you want.

[Stefano Torresi]

Hey Konrad,

You can temporarily find the list here:
https://github.com/stefanotorresi/fig-standards/blob/5804f440faf78cde4b0c21b6bcd2cee64cf04778/personnel.md

This will be published in the website and the main fig repo soon.

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[Edward Halls]

I wouldn't want this specifically for RDF. It is better to specify a generic interface and then your saft framework implements a compatible rdf adapter implementing that interface, a bridge pattern (double dragon adapter interface).

Personally:
To me RDF just looks like more XML with an rdf: namespace. I dislike XML because it isn't human friendly, duplicates alot of semantics that could be inherited and has such extensive and complex (might be more accurate to say horribly written out) specifications that open source tools are too buggy or require corporate funding to develop and release something complete.. meaning the poor people will just invent something simple with common sense that kicks its teeth in or leave a trail of complete tools for sections of the spec.

[Konrad A.]

Hello,

You can temporarily find the list here:
https://github.com/stefanotorresi/fig-standards/blob/5804f440faf78cde4b0c21b6bcd2cee64cf04778/personnel.md

Thanks Stefano for the list.

 It is better to specify a generic interface and then your saft framework implements a compatible rdf adapter implementing that interface, a bridge pattern (double dragon adapter interface).

Could you please describe in more detail what you mean with a "generic interface"? I assume you mean something like a "specification" of, for example, an array-based structure?

To me RDF just looks like more XML with an rdf: namespace. I dislike XML because it isn't human friendly, duplicates alot of semantics that could be inherited and has such extensive and complex (might be more accurate to say horribly written out) specifications that open source tools are too buggy or require corporate funding to develop and release something complete.. meaning the poor people will just invent something simple with common sense that kicks its teeth in or leave a trail of complete tools for sections of the spec.

I would like to address your opinion. RDF has multiple forms of serialization, for instance RDF/XML, but could be way more human friendly if it is serialized as RDF/Turtle [2], for instance. RDF itself describes a very basic data model, everything is structured as subject, predicate and object. Further information about the data model, for instance data types, are part of the data itself and not separate, like in RDBs. This data model has multiple strengths, for instance simplicity and consistence. 

Fun fact: RDF is part of Linked Data [3] and is considered the level of data, by Tim Berners Lee [4]. From my point of view, RDF makes it very easy to interchange data, for instance. Another strength is the consistent to query such data, using SPARQL[5]. No matter how your data look or what data structures you use, with SPARQL you have a unified way to query data.

Enough of the RDF-advertising :) Hope it helped.

Regards

Konrad

[1] - https://github.com/php-fig/fig-standards/pull/958#issuecomment-345666199 

[2] - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_(Syntax)

[3] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linked_data

[4] - http://5stardata.info/

[Konrad A.]

I clicked to fast on send, therefore a some additions.

- RDF is part of Linked Data [3] and is considered the HIGHEST level of data, by Tim Berners Lee [4].

- Another strength is the consistent WAY to query such data, using SPARQL[5]

[3] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linked_data

[4] - http://5stardata.info/

[5] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARQL