A form of data representation where every identifier is an http://… URI, using standard lists (see vocabulary) of identifiers where possible, and where datasets include links to reference datasets of the same objects. A key aim is to make data integration automatic, even for large datasets. Linked data is usually represented using RDF. See also five stars of open data; triple store. Source: ODH

Central for the concept of the semantic web; linked data assigns a web address, similar to a website address, to each piece of data, enabling connection of data through the web. It builds upon standard web technologies such as HTTP and URI, but rather than using them to serve web pages for human readers it extends them to share information in a way that can be read automatically by computers. The connections between linked data can grow without limitations. Linked data is particularly useful for analysing different types of data from various datasets, for example government data.

Source: EUOD