DataTerminology.comNEW
Also known as: URI
A URI is a standardized character string that uniquely identifies an abstract or physical resource.
DESCRIPTION
Uniform Resource Identifiers provide a consistent, extensible means to identify resources across systems and protocols. Defined by RFC 3986, URIs encompass URLs and URNs, separating identification from location. URIs enable linking, semantics, and interoperability for the web and machine-to-machine communication. Proper encoding and normalization are critical for correctness and security. URIs are foundational in APIs, RDF/linked data, and cloud integration.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
IETF RFC Editor
A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is a compact sequence of characters that identifies an abstract or physical resource.
Canonical standard definition emphasizing compact identification string.
MDN Web Docs
A URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a sequence of characters that identifies a resource on the internet.
Focuses on internet resource identification in approachable terms.
W3C
URIs provide a simple and extensible means for identifying a resource.
Clarifies terminology and relationships among URIs, URLs, and URNs.
RELATED TERMS
Internationalized Resource Identifier Hypertext Transfer Protocol REST API Resource Endpoint DNS RDF Percent Encoding
COMPETING TERMS
URL Uniform Resource Name
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Data Integration & Interoperability Software Engineering Semantic & Knowledge Modeling
TARGET AUDIENCE
Software Developer Data Engineer Data Architect
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- Wikipedia - Uniform Resource Identifier
- IETF RFC Editor - Definitive URI generic syntax standard
- W3C - Clarifications on URIs, URLs, URNs
- MDN Web Docs - Explainers on identifying web resources
TOP QUESTIONS
How does a Uniform Resource Identifier differ from a URL?
A URI identifies a resource; a URL is a type of URI that additionally provides its location. All URLs are URIs, but not all URIs are URLs.
Category: Misunderstanding
Why is RFC 3986 important for Uniform Resource Identifier?
RFC 3986 is the authoritative specification of URI syntax and semantics, ensuring interoperability across systems and protocols.
Category: Standard
What are common pitfalls when handling a Uniform Resource Identifier?
Ignoring percent-encoding rules, mishandling Unicode, and improper normalization can break identification and security guarantees.
Category: Mistakes
Where are Uniform Resource Identifiers used in data systems?
URIs appear in REST APIs, RDF graphs, linked data, cloud resource naming, and microservice endpoints.
Category: Application
What is the role of Internationalized Resource Identifier compared to Uniform Resource Identifier?
IRIs extend URIs to include Unicode characters, improving global usability while mapping to URI for transport.
Category: Definition
How should Uniform Resource Identifiers be stored and validated?
Use standards-compliant parsers, validate scheme and authority, and apply safe normalization without altering semantic meaning.
Category: BestPractice
Can Uniform Resource Identifier be used to identify offline resources?
Yes, URIs can identify abstract or physical resources beyond the web, not only online locations.
Category: Definition
How does Uniform Resource Name relate to Uniform Resource Identifier?
A URN is a URI intended for persistent, location-independent naming, complementing location-oriented URLs.
Category: Definition
What security issues arise from improper Uniform Resource Identifier handling?
Injection, SSRF, and open redirect vulnerabilities can result from naive parsing or trusting URI inputs.
Category: Risk