Foundations of Semantic Web and Linked Data

The modern web is no longer just a collection of documents for humans to read; it is a massive, interconnected database of structured information. Understanding how to navigate, query, and publish this "Web of Data" is essential for building intelligent applications that can automatically integrate and make sense of global information. In this beginner-friendly course, you will learn how to design, publish, and query structured data using standard Semantic Web technologies. You will transition from working with isolated data silos to contributing to a global, interconnected web of data, preparing you to build smarter web applications and improve data discoverability. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles of the Semantic Web and the Linked Data paradigm - Represent structured information using RDF (Resource Description Framework) and Turtle syntax - Query distributed web data efficiently using SPARQL graph query language - Implement schema.org and JSON-LD to make web content machine-readable for search engines and AI applications - Publish open, structured datasets that seamlessly connect with existing global data repositories - Design and model simple ontologies to define relationships between different data entities The course begins with foundational concepts of semantic networks and URI identification before moving into data modeling with RDF. You will then progress to writing SPARQL queries to extract information and using modern JSON-LD standards to structure web content. This course is designed for beginners, web developers, data enthusiasts, and technical writers who want to understand how data is structured and linked on the internet. No prior experience with semantic technologies or graph databases is required. Start exploring the interconnected world of semantic data and learn how to build for the future of the web.