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# RDF Introduction * * * Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a W3C standard for describing web resources, such as a web page's title, author, modification date, content, and copyright information. * * * ## Prerequisites Before continuing, you should have a basic understanding of the following: * HTML * XHTML * XML * XML Namespaces If you want to learn these topics first, please visit our (#). * * * ## What is RDF? * RDF stands for Resource Description Framework * RDF is a framework for describing resources on the Web * RDF provides a model and syntax for data so that independent groups can exchange and use it * RDF is designed to be read and understood by computers * RDF is not designed to be displayed to humans * RDF is written in XML * RDF is part of the W3C Semantic Web Activity * RDF is a W3C Recommendation * * * ## RDF - Application Examples * Describing properties of shopping items, such as price and availability * Describing web event schedules * Describing information about web pages, such as content, author, and creation/modification dates * Describing the content and ratings of web images * Describing content for search engines * Describing electronic libraries * * * ## RDF is Designed to be Read by Computers RDF is designed to provide a general method for describing information so that it can be read and understood by computer applications. RDF descriptions are not designed to be displayed on the web. * * * ## RDF is Written in XML RDF documents are written in XML. The XML language used by RDF is called RDF/XML. By using XML, RDF information can be easily exchanged between computers with different operating systems and application languages. * * * ## RDF and the Semantic Web The RDF language is part of the W3C's Semantic Web activity. The goal of the W3C's "Semantic Web Vision" is: * Web information has precise meaning * Web information can be understood and processed by computers * Computers can integrate information from the Web * * * ## RDF is a W3C Standard RDF became a W3C standard in February 2004. W3C Recommendations (standards) are regarded as web standards by the industry and the web community. W3C Recommendations are stable specifications developed by W3C Working Groups and reviewed by W3C Members. The official W3C Recommendation can be found at this link. [http://www.w3.org/RDF/](http://www.w3.org/RDF/ "Resource Description Framework (RDF) - W3C Semantic Web Activity")