Idea: Attract JavaScript front-end developers

[dbooth-boston]

"front-end developers are a new generation. They did not exist back when RDF was conceived. . . . They’re using JavaScript, TypeScript, React, etc." https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/semantic-web/2018Nov/0050.html

[joshuef]

For me, as a JS dev, there's a few key things that make RDF a pain. The main issue being HUUUGE amount of on-boarding needed. When I may only want to 'make some data'. There needs to be an easy way to ensure my data is RDF, without having to learn everything.

But there's decision paralysis with tooling, with vocabs / schema. Do I need to use SOLID? (and authentication thereon?) Can I not? etc etc.

For me, I think a few libs providing schema/vocab packages via npm would slim that down a lot. Couple with some auto-validation and documentation for forming your objects and all of a sudden making RDF can become just a bit more accessible. And then we can turn the conversation to 'why would you not use RDF?'

And once they have that data, only then do they need to start learning about the rest of the RDF landscape (IMO).

[RubenVerborgh]

Yes, I honestly think the name of this group is wrong. It shouldn't be "easy RDF", but "easy Linked Data". I don't think JS devs should be exposed to RDF—but they should be to Linked Data.

[dbooth-boston]

I honestly think the name of this group is wrong. It shouldn't be "easy RDF", but "easy Linked Data".

@RubenVerborgh, I agree in hindsight, since the scope is not RDF itself, but the whole RDF ecosystem -- whose purpose is to make and work with Linked Data! (And I mean "Linked Data" broadly here -- not limited to dereferenceable URIs, though those are nice.)