Linked data principles provide a common API for data on the web that is more convenient than many separately and differently designed APIs published by individual data suppliers. Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the web and initiator of the linked data project, proposed the following principles upon which linked data is based. Use URIs to name things. Use HTTP URIs so that things can be referred to and looked up (dereferenced) by people and user agents. When someone looks up a URI, provide useful information using open web standards such as RDF or Sparql. Include links to other related things using their URIs when publishing on the web.

Source: W3C — http://www.w3.org/TR/ld-glossary/#linked-data-principles