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16 <h1 align="center">MathQL-1</h1>
18 <h2 align="center">A query language for RDF metadata</h2>
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34 <li><a href="features.html">Features</a></li>
39 <li><a href="documentation.html">Documentation</a></li>
45 <li><a href="implementation.html">Implementation</a><br>
51 <li><a href="authors.html">The authors</a><br>
58 <li><a href="links.html">Links</a><br>
66 <div align="right"><b>Forward</b><br>
69 The MathQL proposal rises in the context of the <a
70 href="http://helm.cs.unibo.it/">HELM project</a>, which aims at the
71 development of a suitable technology for the creation and maintenance
72 of a virtual, distributed, hypertextual library of structured mathematical
73 knowledge based on <a href="http://www.w3.org/XML/">XML</a> technology,
74 through the integration of the current proof assistants and logical frameworks
75 with the most recent technologies for the development of Web applications
76 and electronic publishing.<br>
78 The objective of the MathQL proposal is the development of a set
79 of query languages enabling the retrieval of formalized mathematical Web
80 resources on the basis of content-aware requests. The first of these languages,
81 <b>MathQL-1</b>, is focused on querying an arbitrary <a
82 href="http://www.w3.org/RDF/">RDF</a> database because RDF is the <a
83 href="http://www.w3.org/">W3C</a> standartd for describing Web resources
84 at the general-purpose content level.<br>
86 As an RDF query language, MathQL-1 provides the main features required
87 by the RDF community while complying with the needs of HELM. The peculiar
88 aspects of this language concern the query results, which are highly structured
89 and possess their own syntax, formally explained by a rigorous semantics.<br>
91 MathQL-1 is particularly helpful in distributed systems where query
92 engines are implemented as stand-alone units, because in this situation
93 the query results are exchanged between the system components as well
94 as the queries, and thus both the queries and the query results need to
95 be encoded in a clearly defined format.<br>
97 Other languages to be developed in the context of the MathQL proposal will
98 be suitable for queries about the semantic structure of mathematical data:
99 this will include content-based pattern-matching (MathQL-2) and possibly other
100 forms of formal matching involving for instance isomorphism, unification and
101 definitions expansion (MathQL-3).<br>
110 <div align="center">This site is maintained by <a
111 href="mailto://fguidi@cs.unibo.it">Ferruccio Guidi</a>, last update: March