FPWD: Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT) - revised edition

Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT) - revised edition

https://www.w3.org/TR/2018/WD-vocab-dcat-2-20180508/

Abstract


DCAT is an RDF vocabulary designed to facilitate interoperability between data catalogs published on the Web. This document defines the schema and provides examples for its use.

By using DCAT to describe datasets in data catalogs, publishers are using a standard model and vocabulary that facilitates the consumption and aggregation of metadata from multiple catalogs, and in doing so can increase the discoverability of datasets. It also makes it possible to have a decentralized approach to publishing data catalogs and makes federated search for datasets across catalogs in multiple sites possible using the same query mechanism and structure. Aggregated DCAT metadata can serve as a manifest file as part of the digital preservation process.

The namespace for DCAT terms is http://www.w3.org/ns/dcat#

The suggested prefix for the DCAT namespace is dcat

The (revised) DCAT vocabulary is available here.

Status of the Document


This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at https://www.w3.org/TR/.

The original DCAT vocabulary was developed at the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), refined by the eGov Interest Group, and then finally standardized in 2014 by the Government Linked Data (GLD) Working Group.

This revised version of DCAT was developed by the Dataset Exchange Working Group in response to a new set of Use Cases and Requirements [DCAT-UCR] submitted on the basis of experience with the DCAT vocabulary from the time of the original version, and new applications not originally considered.

DCAT incorporates terms from pre-existing vocabularies where stable terms with appropriate meanings could be found, such as foaf:homepage and dct:title. Informal summary definitions of the externally-defined terms are included here for convenience, while authoritative definitions are available in the normative references. Changes to definitions in the references, if any, supersede the summaries given in this specification. Note that conformance to DCAT (Section 4) concerns usage of only the terms in the DCAT namespace itself, so possible changes to the external definitions will not affect the conformance of DCAT implementations.

This document was published by the Dataset Exchange Working Group as a First Public Working Draft. This document is intended to become a W3C Recommendation. Comments regarding this document are welcome. Please send them to public-dxwg-comments@w3.org (subscribe, archives).

Publication as a First Public Working Draft does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.

This document was produced by a group operating under the W3C Patent Policy. W3C maintains a public list of any patent disclosures made in connection with the deliverables of the group; that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) must disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.

This document is governed by the 1 February 2018 W3C Process Document.