RDF (Resource Description Framework)
RDF is an XML application used to define the structure of metadata for documents; for example, data that is useful for indexing, navigating, and searching a site. A standard method for describing the contents of a web site, page, or resource could be useful to automated agents that search the Web for specific information.
Metadata could be used in the following ways:
For descriptions of resources to provide better search engine capabilities
In cataloging, for describing the content and content relationships available at a particular web site, page, or digital library
In describing collections of pages that represent a single logical “document”
For digital signatures that allow electronic commerce, collaboration, and other “trust"-based applications
A simple RDF document that provides author information about a book looks like this (this example is taken from and describes the O’Reilly book XML in a Nutshell):
<rdf: RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"> <rdf:Description about="urn:isbn:0596000588"> <author>Elliotte Rusty Harold</author> <author>W. Scott Means</author> </rdf:Description> </rdf:RDF>
The first line of code declares the namespace for RDF as http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#
.
For more information about RDF, see the W3C’s pages at http://www.w3.org/RDF/.
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