NEW
A JSON-based format for serializing Linked Data using contexts to map terms to IRIs.
DESCRIPTION
JSON-LD integrates Linked Data into JSON with a @context that maps terms to IRIs. It enables interoperable data exchange and web embedding, notably for schema.org markup. Developers can compact or expand documents for different consumers. It aligns with RDF semantics while remaining developer-friendly. Search engines parse JSON-LD for rich results. JSON-LD supports framing and remote contexts. It’s widely adopted for web metadata, APIs, and knowledge graph ingestion.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
W3C
JSON-LD is a JSON-based format to serialize Linked Data.
Concise official definition tying JSON to Linked Data.
Wikipedia
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a method of encoding Linked Data using JSON.
Describes JSON-LD as a method for encoding Linked Data in JSON.
RELATED TERMS
Linked Data RDF Schema.org Context IRI Knowledge Graph SPARQL Turtle
COMPETING TERMS
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Semantic & Knowledge Modeling Data Integration & Interoperability
TARGET AUDIENCE
Software Developer Data Engineer Information Analyst Data Architect
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- Wikipedia - JSON-LD
- W3C - JSON-LD 1.1 specification
- Google Developers - Guidance on structured data
- Schema.org - Schema.org JSON-LD context
TOP QUESTIONS
What is JSON-LD and why use it?
JSON-LD encodes Linked Data in JSON, making semantic metadata interoperable and easy for developers to implement on the web and in APIs.
Category: Overview
What is a @context in JSON-LD?
@context maps local terms to IRIs, providing semantic meaning and enabling compaction and expansion of data.
Category: Components
How does JSON-LD relate to RDF?
JSON-LD is a JSON serialization aligned with RDF’s data model and semantics.
Category: Comparison
What are common mistakes with JSON-LD?
Incorrect contexts, missing IRIs, and mixing vocabularies without namespaces lead to misinterpretation by consumers.
Category: Mistakes
How is JSON-LD used in SEO?
Search engines parse JSON-LD schema.org markup to enrich search results with structured snippets and knowledge panels.
Category: Application
What is JSON-LD framing?
Framing reshapes JSON-LD documents into specific tree structures for client consumption while preserving semantics.
Category: Mechanics
What is a hot topic around JSON-LD?
Using JSON-LD for API contracts and knowledge graph ingestion beyond web markup is gaining traction.
Category: Topic
What risks exist with JSON-LD contexts?
Remote context dependencies can break if unavailable; versioning and caching mitigate reliability issues.
Category: Risk
Where should I learn JSON-LD?
Start with the W3C JSON-LD 1.1 spec and Schema.org examples; Google’s docs show practical SEO use cases.
Category: Learning