RDF/XML

RDF/XML is a W3C-recommended XML syntax for expressing Resource Description Framework (RDF) graphs. It provides a way to serialize RDF data using XML, allowing for the representation of subject-predicate-object triples in a structured, machine-readable format. RDF/XML was one of the original serialization formats for RDF and, while less frequently used than newer formats like Turtle or JSON-LD, it remains an important part of the RDF ecosystem due to its legacy and broad support across various RDF tools and systems.

The core function of RDF/XML is to represent RDF triples, where each triple describes a relationship between resources. In RDF/XML, resources and properties are typically identified using Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). RDF/XML uses XML elements and attributes to express these URIs and the relationships between them.

Key aspects of RDF/XML include its reliance on XML namespaces to manage URI references and its use of XML's hierarchical structure to represent the graph-like structure of RDF data. While RDF/XML offers a standardized way to serialize RDF, its verbose nature and complexity have led to the development and adoption of more concise and human-readable RDF serialization formats. Despite this, RDF/XML's standardization and compatibility with existing XML processing tools continue to make it relevant for certain applications and data exchange scenarios. It allows RDF data to be readily integrated with other XML-based technologies and systems.