Core Shape Definition

The goal of this page is to select the way Shapes are defined in regard to scoped, unscoped (classes / ShEx-like) & global constraints . Class names are of course subject to change and votes are in [-1,1]

LDOM

as defined in ldom primer

   # scoped
   ex:MyClass 
       a rdfs:Class ;
       rdfs:subClassOf rdfs:Resource ;
      :property [...] .

   # unscoped (not clear on ldom and based on Erik's fork, might be wrong)
   ex:MyShape
       a :Shape
       :property [ ... ] .

   # global
   ex:MyConstraint a :GlobalConstraint ;

votes: DK -0.1 (for scoped)

• comments DK: I would prefer a common way to define shapes. I see some minor problems with defining constraints directly to classes: 1) shapes are coupled with the classes, 2) if defined elsewhere one needs to redefine "a rdfs:Class" or dereferencing needs to be performed to check if it is a class indeed, 3) we have multiple rdfs:domain s for all the defined properties, both rdfs:class and :Shape. I also see the declaration of rdfs:subClassOf rdfs:Resource ; redundant and maybe confusing for users.

Resource Shapes like 1

Uses one base class for both

   # scoped
   ex:MyShape
       a :Shape
       :class ex:MyClass ;
       :property [ ... ] .

   # unscoped
   ex:MyShape
       a :Shape
       :property [ ... ] .

   # global
   ex:MyConstraint a :GlobalConstraint ;

votes: DK +0.3

• comments DK: it might be confusing for users to separate scoped/unscoped constraints and one might skip ex:class by mistake.

Resource Shapes like 2

Differentiates classes

   #background definition
   :AbstractShape a rdfs:Class . #cannot be instantiated as direct constraint/shape
   :ClassShape rdfs:subClassOf :AbstractShape . 
   :ResourceShape rdfs:subClassOf :AbstractShape . 

   # scoped
   ex:MyShape
       a :ClassShape
       :class ex:MyClass ;
       :property [ ... ] .

   # unscoped
   ex:MyShape
       a :ResourceShape
       :property [ ... ] .

   # global
   ex:MyConstraint a :GlobalConstraint ;

votes: DK +1