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rfc:rfc3870

Network Working Group A. Swartz Request for Comments: 3870 AaronSw.com Category: Informational September 2004

            application/rdf+xml Media Type Registration

Status of this Memo

 This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
 not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
 memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).

Abstract

 This document describes a media type (application/rdf+xml) for use
 with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) serialization of the
 Resource Description Framework (RDF).  RDF is a language designed to
 support the Semantic Web, by facilitating resource description and
 data exchange on the Web.  RDF provides common structures that can be
 used for interoperable data exchange and follows the World Wide Web
 Consortium (W3C) design principles of interoperability, evolution,
 and decentralization.

Table of Contents

 1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
 2.  application/rdf+xml Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
 3.  Fragment Identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 4.  Historical Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 5.  IANA Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 6.  Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
 7.  Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
 8.  References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
     8.1.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
     8.2.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
 9.  Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
 10. Full Copyright Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8

Swartz Informational [Page 1] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

1. Introduction

 RDF is a language designed to support the Semantic Web, by
 facilitating resource description and data exchange on the Web.  RDF
 provides common structures that can be used for interoperable data
 exchange and follows the W3C design principles of interoperability,
 evolution, and decentralization.
 While the RDF data model [2] can be serialized in many ways, the W3C
 has defined the RDF/XML syntax [1] to allow RDF to be serialized in
 an XML format.  The application/rdf+xml media type allows RDF
 consumers to identify RDF/XML documents so that they can be processed
 properly.
 The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
 "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
 document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14, RFC 2119 [6].

2. application/rdf+xml Registration

 This is a media type registration as defined in RFC 2048,
 "Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) Part Four: Registration
 Procedures" [5].
    MIME media type name: application
    MIME subtype name: rdf+xml
    Required parameters: none
    Optional parameters: charset
       Same as charset parameter of application/xml, defined in RFC
       3023 [4].
    Encoding considerations:
       Same as charset parameter of application/xml, defined in RFC
       3023 [4].
    Security considerations:
       See "Security Considerations" (Section 6).

Swartz Informational [Page 2] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

    Interoperability considerations:
       It is RECOMMENDED that RDF documents follow the newer RDF/XML
       Syntax Grammar [1] as opposed to the older RDF Model and Syntax
       specification [7].
       RDF is intended to allow common information to be exchanged
       between disparate applications.  A basis for building common
       understanding is provided by a formal semantics [3], and
       applications that use RDF should do so in ways that are
       consistent with this.
    Published specification:
       see RDF/XML Syntax Grammar [1] and RDF: Concepts and Abstract
       Syntax [2] and the older RDF Model and Syntax [7]
    Applications which use this media type:
       RDF is device-, platform-, and vendor-neutral and is supported
       by a range of Web user agents and authoring tools.
    Additional information:
       Magic number(s): none
          Although no byte sequences can be counted on to consistently
          identify RDF, RDF documents will have the sequence
          "http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" to identify
          the RDF namespace. This will usually be towards the top of
          the document.
    File extension(s): .rdf
    Macintosh File Type Code(s): "rdf "
    For further information:
       Dan Brickley <danbri@w3.org>
       RDF Interest Group <www-rdf-interest@w3.org>
       More information may be found on the RDF website:
       <http://www.w3.org/RDF/>
    Intended usage: COMMON

Swartz Informational [Page 3] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

    Author/Change controller:
       The RDF specification is a work product of the World Wide Web
       Consortium.  The W3C and the W3C RDF Core Working Group have
       change control over the specification.

3. Fragment Identifiers

 The rdf:ID and rdf:about attributes can be used to define fragments
 in an RDF document.
 Section 4.1 of the URI specification [8] notes that the semantics of
 a fragment identifier (part of a URI after a "#") is a property of
 the data resulting from a retrieval action, and that the format and
 interpretation of fragment identifiers is dependent on the media type
 of the retrieval result.
 In RDF, the thing identified by a URI with fragment identifier does
 not necessarily bear any particular relationship to the thing
 identified by the URI alone.  This differs from some readings of the
 URI specification [8], so attention is recommended when creating new
 RDF terms which use fragment identifiers.
 More details on RDF's treatment of fragment identifiers can be found
 in the section "Fragment Identifiers" of the RDF Concepts document
 [2].

4. Historical Considerations

 This media type was reserved in RFC 3023 [4], saying:
    RDF documents identified using this MIME type are XML documents
    whose content describes metadata, as defined by [7].  As a format
    based on XML, RDF documents SHOULD use the '+xml' suffix
    convention in their MIME content-type identifier.  However, no
    content type has yet been registered for RDF and so this media
    type should not be used until such registration has been
    completed.

5. IANA Considerations

 This document calls for registration of a new MIME media type,
 according to the registration in Section 2.

Swartz Informational [Page 4] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

6. Security Considerations

 RDF is a generic format for exchanging application information, but
 application designers must not assume that it provides generic
 protection against security threats.  RFC 3023 [4], section 10,
 discusses security concerns for generic XML, which are also
 applicable to RDF.
 RDF data can be secured for integrity, authenticity and
 confidentiality using any of the mechanisms available for MIME and
 XML data, including XML signature, XML encryption, S/MIME, OpenPGP or
 transport or session level security (e.g., see [9], especially
 sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.10, [10], [11], [12]).
 RDF is intended to be used in documents that may make assertions
 about anything, and to this end includes a specification of formal
 semantics [3].  The semantics provide a basis for combining
 information from a variety of sources, which may lead to RDF
 assertions of facts (either by direct assertion, or via logical
 deduction) that are false, or whose veracity is unclear.  RDF
 application designers should not omit consideration of the
 reliability of processed information.  The formal semantics of RDF
 can help to enhance reliability, since RDF assertions may be linked
 to a formal description of their derivation.  There is ongoing
 exploration of mechanisms to record and handle provenance of RDF
 information.  As far as general techniques are concerned, these are
 still areas of ongoing research, and application designers must be
 aware, as always, of "Garbage-in, Garbage-out".

7. Acknowledgements

 Thanks to Dan Connolly for writing the first version of this document
 [13], to Andy Powell for <http://www.w3.org/2000/03/rdf-
 tracking/#mime-types-for-rdf-docs>, to Marshall Rose for his
 <http://xml.resource.org/> converter, and to Graham Klyne, Jan Grant,
 and Dave Beckett for their helpful comments on early versions of this
 document.

Swartz Informational [Page 5] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

8. References

8.1. Normative References

 [1]  Beckett, D., "RDF/XML Syntax Specification (Revised)", W3C rdf-
      syntax-grammar, February 2004, <http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/REC-
      rdf-syntax-grammar-20040210/>.
 [2]  Klyne, G. and J. Carroll, "Resource Description Framework (RDF):
      Concepts and Abstract Syntax", W3C rdf-concepts, February 2004,
      <http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/REC-rdf-concepts-20040210/>.
 [3]  Hayes, P., "RDF Model Theory", W3C rdf-mt, February 2004,
      <http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/REC-rdf-mt-20040210/>.
 [4]  Murata, M., St.Laurent, S. and D. Kohn, "XML Media Types", RFC
      3023, January 2001.
 [5]  Freed, N., Klensin, J. and J. Postel, "Multipurpose Internet
      Mail Extensions (MIME) Part Four: Registration Procedures", BCP
      13, RFC 2048, November 1996.
 [6]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement
      Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.

8.2. Informative References

 [7]  Lassila, O. and R. Swick, "Resource Description Framework (RDF)
      Model and Syntax Specification", W3C REC-rdf-syntax, February
      1999, <http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-rdf-syntax>.
 [8]  Berners-Lee, T., Fielding, R. and L. Masinter, "Uniform Resource
      Identifiers (URI): Generic Syntax", RFC 2396, August 1998.
 [9]  Bellovin, S., Schiller, J. and C. Kaufman, Eds., "Security
      Mechanisms for the Internet", RFC 3631, December 2003.
 [10] Rescorla, E., "HTTP Over TLS", RFC 2818, May 2000.
 [11] Eastlake, D., Reagle, J. and D. Solo, "(Extensible Markup
      Language) XML-Signature Syntax and Processing", RFC 3275, March
      2002.
 [12] Eastlake, D. and J. Reagle, "XML Encryption Syntax and
      Processing", W3C xmlenc-core, December 2002,
      <http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/REC-xmlenc-core-20021210/>

Swartz Informational [Page 6] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

 [13] Connolly, D., "A media type for Resource Description Framework
      (RDF)", March 2001, <http://www.w3.org/2001/03mr/rdf_mt>.

9. Author's Address

 Aaron Swartz
 AaronSw.com
 349 Marshman
 Highland Park, IL  60035
 USA
 Phone: +1 847 432 8857
 EMail: me@aaronsw.com
 URI:   http://www.aaronsw.com/

Swartz Informational [Page 7] RFC 3870 application/rdf+xml September 2004

10. Full Copyright Statement

 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).
 This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions
 contained in BCP 78, and at www.rfc-editor.org, and except as set
 forth therein, the authors retain all their rights.
 This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
 "AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/S HE
 REPRESENTS OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE
 INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
 IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF
 THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED
 WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Intellectual Property

 The IETF takes no position regarding the validity or scope of any
 Intellectual Property Rights or other rights that might be claimed to
 pertain to the implementation or use of the technology described in
 this document or the extent to which any license under such rights
 might or might not be available; nor does it represent that it has
 made any independent effort to identify any such rights.  Information
 on the ISOC's procedures with respect to rights in ISOC Documents can
 be found in BCP 78 and BCP 79.
 Copies of IPR disclosures made to the IETF Secretariat and any
 assurances of licenses to be made available, or the result of an
 attempt made to obtain a general license or permission for the use of
 such proprietary rights by implementers or users of this
 specification can be obtained from the IETF on-line IPR repository at
 http://www.ietf.org/ipr.
 The IETF invites any interested party to bring to its attention any
 copyrights, patents or patent applications, or other proprietary
 rights that may cover technology that may be required to implement
 this standard.  Please address the information to the IETF at ietf-
 ipr@ietf.org.

Acknowledgement

 Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
 Internet Society.

Swartz Informational [Page 8]

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