research-article

TriAL: A Navigational Algebra for RDF Triplestores

Authors:

Juan L. Reutter,

Adrián Soto, and

Domagoj VrgočAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Database Systems (TODS), Volume 43, Issue 1

Article No.: 5, Pages 1 - 46

https://doi.org/10.1145/3154385

Published: 23 March 2018 Publication History

Abstract

Navigational queries over RDF data are viewed as one of the main applications of graph query languages, and yet the standard model of graph databases—essentially labeled graphs—is different from the triples-based model of RDF. While encodings of RDF databases into graph data exist, we show that even the most natural ones are bound to lose some functionality when used in conjunction with graph query languages. The solution is to work directly with triples, but then many properties taken for granted in the graph database context (e.g., reachability) lose their natural meaning.

Our goal is to introduce languages that work directly over triples and are closed, i.e., they produce sets of triples, rather than graphs. Our basic language is called TriAL, or Triple Algebra: it guarantees closure properties by replacing the product with a family of join operations. We extend TriAL with recursion and explain why such an extension is more intricate for triples than for graphs. We present a declarative language, namely a fragment of datalog, capturing the recursive algebra. For both languages, the combined complexity of query evaluation is given by low-degree polynomials. We compare our language with previously studied graph query languages such as adaptations of XPath, regular path queries, and nested regular expressions; many of these languages are subsumed by the recursive triple algebra. We also provide an implementation of recursive TriAL on top of a relational query engine, and we show its usefulness by running a wide array of navigational queries over real-world RDF data, while at the same time testing how our implementation compares to existing RDF systems.

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Cited By

De Leo VFenu GGreco DBidotti NPlatter PMotta ENuzzolese AOsborne FRecupero D(2023)Ontology-Based Generation of Data Platform Assets2023 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (BigData)10.1109/BigData59044.2023.10386910(2937-2941)Online publication date: 15-Dec-2023
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Pacaci ABonifati AOzsu M(2022)Evaluating Complex Queries on Streaming Graphs2022 IEEE 38th International Conference on Data Engineering (ICDE)10.1109/ICDE53745.2022.00025(272-285)Online publication date: May-2022
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICDE53745.2022.00025
Tang XWu NPan Y(2022)An Algebra Supporting Semantic Query for Graph Data Model2022 2nd International Conference on Consumer Electronics and Computer Engineering (ICCECE)10.1109/ICCECE54139.2022.9712796(838-841)Online publication date: 14-Jan-2022
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Index Terms

TriAL: A Navigational Algebra for RDF Triplestores
1. Information systems
  1. Data management systems
    1. Query languages
  2. World Wide Web
    1. Web data description languages
      1. Semantic web description languages
        Resource Description Framework (RDF)
2. Theory of computation
  1. Theory and algorithms for application domains
    1. Database theory
      1. Database query languages (principles)

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Published In

cover image ACM Transactions on Database Systems

ACM Transactions on Database Systems Volume 43, Issue 1

Best of SIGMOD 2016 Papers and Regular Papers

March 2018

227 pages

ISSN:0362-5915

EISSN:1557-4644

DOI:10.1145/3194314

Editor:
Christian S. Jensen
Aalborg University, Denmark

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Copyright © 2018 ACM.

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Publication History

Published: 23 March 2018

Accepted: 01 September 2017

Revised: 01 July 2017

Received: 01 November 2016

Published in TODS Volume 43, Issue 1

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https://doi.org/10.1109/BigData59044.2023.10386910
Pacaci ABonifati AOzsu M(2022)Evaluating Complex Queries on Streaming Graphs2022 IEEE 38th International Conference on Data Engineering (ICDE)10.1109/ICDE53745.2022.00025(272-285)Online publication date: May-2022
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICDE53745.2022.00025
Tang XWu NPan Y(2022)An Algebra Supporting Semantic Query for Graph Data Model2022 2nd International Conference on Consumer Electronics and Computer Engineering (ICCECE)10.1109/ICCECE54139.2022.9712796(838-841)Online publication date: 14-Jan-2022
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCECE54139.2022.9712796
Li GLi W(2022)Research on storage method for fuzzy RDF graph based on Neo4jEvolutionary Intelligence10.1007/s12065-022-00715-017:1(429-439)Online publication date: 8-Apr-2022
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12065-022-00715-0
Ma ZLi GMa RMa ZLi GMa R(2022)Persistence of Fuzzy RDF and Fuzzy RDF SchemaModeling and Management of Fuzzy Semantic RDF Data10.1007/978-3-031-11669-8_4(109-150)Online publication date: 9-Sep-2022
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Reutter JSoto AVrgoč D(2021)Recursion in SPARQLSemantic Web10.3233/SW-20040112:5(711-740)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2021
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Sharma CSinha RJohnson K(2021)Practical and comprehensive formalisms for modelling contemporary graph query languagesInformation Systems10.1016/j.is.2021.101816102:COnline publication date: 1-Dec-2021
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