Property Graphs Model and API Community Group created

The Property Graphs Model and API Community Group has been launched:
  http://www.w3.org/community/propertygraphs/

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This group will explore the Property Graph data model and API and decide
whether this area is ripe for standardization.   Property Graphs are
used to analyze social networks and in other Big Data applications using
NoSQL databases.


The group may want to investigate several extensions to the data model. 
For example, should nodes be typed; what datatypes are allowed for
property values; can properties have multiple values and should we add
collection types such as sets and maps to the data model?  At the same
time, we need to bear in mind that there are several Property Graph
vendors and implementations and we may not want to deviate significantly
from current practice.


Existing Property Graph APIs are either navigational e.g. Tinkerpop or
declarative e.g. Neo4j.  For a W3C standard we may want to design a more
HTTP and REST-oriented  interface in the style of OData Protocol and
OData URL Conventions.  In this style, you construct URls for
collections of nodes  and edges.  For example, a GET on
http://server/nodes  would return the collection of nodes on the server.
A GET on http://server/nodes/in(type = ‘knows’ ) would return the
collection of incoming arcs with type = ‘knows’ and a GET on
http://server/nodes/out(type = ‘created’ ) would return the
collection of outgoing arcs with type = ‘created’.  Once a
collection of nodes or arcs is selected with the URI, query operators
can be used to add functions to select properties to be returned. 
Functions can also be used to return aggregate properties such as count
and average.


The group will deliver a recommendation to the W3C regarding whether and
how the Property Graph work should be taken forward towards
standardization.


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To join:
  http://www.w3.org/community/propertygraphs/join

If you do not have one already, you will need a W3C account to join:
  http://www.w3.org/community/account/request

This is a community initiative. W3C's hosting of this group does not
imply endorsement of its activities.

If you believe that there is an issue with this group that requires
the attention of the W3C staff, please send us email on
site-comments@w3.org

Thank you,
W3C Community Development Team

Received on Thursday, 19 September 2013 13:10:27 UTC