TLFeBOOK A Semantic Web primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen TLFeBOOK
A Semantic Web Primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen A Semantic Web Primer Antoniou and van Harmelen ,!7IA2G2-abcbac!:t;K;k;K;k 0-262-01210-3 #737806 03/23/04 A Semantic Web Primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen The development of the Semantic Web, with machine-readable content, has the potential to revolutionize the World Wide Web and its use. In A Semantic Web Primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen provide an introduction and guide to this emerging field, describing its key ideas, languages, and technologies. Suitable for use as a textbook or for self-study by professionals, the book concentrates on undergraduate-level fundamental concepts and techniques that will enable readers to proceed with building applications on their own and includes exercises, project descriptions, and annotated references to relevant online materials. A Semantic Web Primer is the only available book on the Semantic Web to include a systematic treatment of the different languages (XML, RDF, OWL, and rules) and technologies (explicit metadata, ontologies, and logic and inference) that are central to Semantic Web development. The book also examines such crucial related topics as ontology engineering and application scenarios. After an introductory chapter, topics covered in succeeding chapters include XML and related technologies that support semantic interoperability; RDF and RDF Schema, the standard data model for machine-processible semantics; and OWL, the W3C-approved standard for a Web ontology language that is more extensive than RDF Schema; rules, both monotonic and nonmonotonic, in the framework of the Semantic Web; selected application domains and how the Semantic Web would benefit them; the development of ontology-based systems; and current debates on key issues and predictions for the future. Grigoris Antoniou is Professor at the Institute for Computer Science, FORTH (Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas), Heraklion, Greece. Frank van Harmelen is Professor in the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Cooperative Information Systems series “A book we have been waiting for: a concise yet detailed introduction to the basic concepts and methods for the Semantic Web.” —Rudi Studer, Institute AIFB, University of Karlsruhe, Germany “This book is a great introduction to the Semantic Web and in particular to the new languages (RDF Schema and OWL) that have recently become standard for it. I am using the book with my undergraduate Semantic Web class, and the students find it well written and clear. For those who want to roll up their sleeves and learn about this emerging technology, this book will be a powerful tool.” —James Hendler, Professor, Computer Science Department, University of Maryland “This is an excellent and much-needed book. It gives the reader a broad introduction to the motivation behind the Semantic Web, as well as its applications and supporting technologies.” —Ian Horrocks, Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, United Kingdom The MIT Press Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142 http://mitpress.mit.edu MC737806front.qxd 5/20/04 9:16 AM Page 1 TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK
TLFeBOOK Cooperative Information Systems Michael Papazoglou, Joachim W. Schmidt, and John Mylopoulos, editors Advances in Object-Oriented Data Modeling Michael P. Papazoglou, Stefano Spaccapietra, and Zahir Tari, editors, 2000 Workflow Management: Models, Methods, and Systems Wil van der Aalst and Kees max van Hee, 2002 A Semantic Web primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen 2004 TLFebooK
Cooperative Information Systems Michael Papazoglou, Joachim W. Schmidt, and John Mylopoulos, editors Advances in Object-Oriented Data Modeling Michael P. Papazoglou, Stefano Spaccapietra, and Zahir Tari, editors, 2000 Workflow Management: Models, Methods, and Systems Wil van der Aalst and Kees Max van Hee, 2002 A Semantic Web Primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen, 2004 TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK
TLFeBOOK A Semantic e Primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van harmelen The Mit Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England TLFebooK
A Semantic Web Primer Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen The MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK
TLFeBOOK @2004 Massachusetts Institute of Technology All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means(including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher This book was set in 10/13 Palatino by the authors using LTEX 2E Printed and bound in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Antoniou, G(Grigoris) A semantic Web primer/ Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen. p. cm-(Cooperative information systems) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 0-262-01210-3(hc. alk. paper) Semantic Web. I. Van Harmelen, Frank. IL. Title. Ill. Serie TK5105.88815.A582004 02504dc22 2003065165 10987654321 TLFebooK
© 2004 Massachusetts Institute of Technology All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher. This book was set in 10/13 Palatino by the authors using LATEX 2ε. Printed and bound in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Antoniou, G. (Grigoris) A semantic Web primer/ Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen. p. cm.–(Cooperative information systems) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-262-01210-3 (hc.: alk. paper) 1. Semantic Web. I. Van Harmelen, Frank. II. Title. III. Series. TK5105.88815. A58 2004 025.04–dc22 2003065165 10987654321 TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK
TLFeBooK dicated to konstantina GA TLFebooK
Dedicated to Konstantina G.A. TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK