RDF Schema Diagrams
For some reason the latest (2004) version of the RDF Schema specification does not include the useful diagrams that were included in previous drafts. Maybe they were omitted because the diagrams sacrificed some formalism for the sake of clarity. Nevertheless I found those older diagrams useful for getting my head around some of the concepts, so here they are:
2002 Version
1999 Version
The current 2004 version of the spec does include these useful summary tables:
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6.1 RDF classes
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> > Class name comment
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rdfs:Resource
The class resource, everything.
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rdfs:Literal
The class of literal values, e.g. textual strings and integers.
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rdf:XMLLiteral
The class of XML literals values.
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rdfs:Class
The class of classes.
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rdf:Property
The class of RDF properties.
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rdfs:Datatype
The class of RDF datatypes.
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rdf:Statement
The class of RDF statements.
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rdf:Bag
The class of unordered containers.
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rdf:Seq
The class of ordered containers.
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rdf:Alt
The class of containers of alternatives.
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rdfs:Container
The class of RDF containers.
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rdfs:ContainerMembershipProperty
The class of container membership properties, rdf:1, rdf:2, …, all of which are sub-properties of 'member'.
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rdf:List
The class of RDF Lists.
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6.2 RDF
properties
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> > Property name comment domain range
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rdf:type
The subject is an instance of a class.
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Class
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rdfs:subClassOf
The subject is a subclass of a class.
rdfs:Class
rdfs:Class
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rdfs:subPropertyOf
The subject is a subproperty of a property.
rdf:Property
rdf:Property
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rdfs:domain
A domain of the subject property.
rdf:Property
rdfs:Class
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rdfs:range
A range of the subject property.
rdf:Property
rdfs:Class
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rdfs:label
A human-readable name for the subject.
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Literal
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rdfs:comment
A description of the subject resource.
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Literal
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rdfs:member
A member of the subject resource.
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Resource
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rdf:first
The first item in the subject RDF list.
rdf:List
rdfs:Resource
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rdf:rest
The rest of the subject RDF list after the first item.
rdf:List
rdf:List
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rdfs:seeAlso
Further information about the subject resource.
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Resource
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rdfs:isDefinedBy
The definition of the subject resource.
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Resource
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rdf:value
Idiomatic property used for structured values (see the RDF Primer for an example of its usage).
rdfs:Resource
rdfs:Resource
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rdf:subject
The subject of the subject RDF statement.
rdf:Statement
rdfs:Resource
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rdf:predicate
The predicate of the subject RDF statement.
rdf:Statement
rdfs:Resource
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rdf:object
The object of the subject RDF statement.
rdf:Statement
rdfs:Resource
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In addition to these classes and properties, RDF also uses properties called
rdf:_1,rdf:_2,rdf:_3… etc., each of which is both a sub-property ofrdfs:memberand an instance of the classrdfs:ContainerMembershipProperty. There is also an instance ofrdf:Listcalledrdf:nilthat is an emptyrdf:List.