SHACL

Semantic & Data Protocol

Shapes Constraint Language — W3C standard for describing and validating RDF graphs against sets of conditions (shapes). Provides closed-world validation semantics over RDF data, distinct from OWL's open-world reasoning. Used increasingly in linked-data work where validation-against-expectations is more useful than logical inference. Member of the W3C Semantic Web Suite.

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Details

License Specification only; implementations include Apache Jena SHACL, TopBraid SHACL API (Java), pySHACL (Python), rdf-validate-shacl (JavaScript), Shaclex (Scala)
Dev Status 🏁 Final
Dev Status Detail Released / Active (W3C Recommendation; growing adoption in linked-data ecosystems)
Owner W3C; RDF Data Shapes Working Group
Owner - List
  • World Wide Web Consortium
Governing Body W3C (Recommendation track — RDF Data Shapes Working Group)
Governing Body - List
  • World Wide Web Consortium
Country International (W3C)
Start Year 2017
Stack Specification; reference implementations across multiple languages — Apache Jena (Java), TopBraid SHACL API (Java), pySHACL (Python), rdf-validate-shacl (JavaScript)
Funding W3C standards process
Last Investigated Jul 1, 2026

Topology view

This tool in the centre and the things it is directly related to. Each line names the kind of relationship.

Topology view: SHACLThis tool in the centre and the things it is directly related to. Each line names the kind of relationship.SHACLRDF (Based on, Conforming implementations, Conforms to)RDFSolid (Basis for)SolidSPARQL (Composes with, Conforms to)SPARQLOWL (Conforming implementations, Conforms to, Succeeds)OWLWorld Wide Web Consortium (Developed by, Stewarded by)World WideWeb Consorti…JSON-LD (Speaks protocol)JSON-LDW3C Semantic Web Suite (Member of suite)W3C SemanticWeb Suite
  • RDF (Tool): Based on, Conforming implementations, Conforms to
  • Solid (Tool): Basis for
  • SPARQL (Tool): Composes with, Conforms to
  • OWL (Tool): Conforming implementations, Conforms to, Succeeds
  • World Wide Web Consortium (Organization): Developed by, Stewarded by
  • JSON-LD (Tool): Speaks protocol
  • W3C Semantic Web Suite (Suite): Member of suite

Open in Graph Explorer

Use Case Domains

Co-Creation & Knowledge

Affordances

Provenance tracking Interoperable formats

Semantic & Data Protocol Attributes

Owner - List
  • World Wide Web Consortium
Origins RDF validation (created to fill the validation gap left by OWL's open-world reasoning; influenced by ShEx and SPIN)
Database Operates over RDF data in triple stores or in-memory graphs
Query Language SHACL itself is partly a query mechanism via SPARQL-based constraints (SHACL Advanced Features); SPARQL remains the primary RDF query language
Data Formats Turtle, JSON-LD, RDF/XML (any RDF serialization) for both shapes and data
Collaborative Live Editing N/A (validation specification)
Rich Text Editing N/A
Mobile Support Library-level
Web Support Yes (rdf-validate-shacl runs in browsers; JSON-LD shapes serializable for web use)
Native Apps TopBraid Composer and other RDF editors support SHACL
Terms Open standard — W3C Recommendation
Funds N/A
Based On Earlier RDF validation languages (ShEx, SPIN); RDF data model; SPARQL for advanced constraints; influenced by structured-data validation patterns from other ecosystems
Governing Body - List
  • World Wide Web Consortium
Semantic Web Compatibility Native — SHACL operates over RDF and is part of the W3C Semantic Web Suite
Protocol Maturity / Standardization W3C Recommendation (2017; SHACL Core + SHACL-SPARQL extension); SHACL 1.2 in active working group development; mature and growing in adoption
Vocabulary / Ontology Type Validation vocabulary — provides constructs for defining shapes (NodeShape, PropertyShape) with constraints (min/max cardinality, datatype, value ranges, pattern matching, etc.) over RDF graphs
Usage Pattern Linked data validation; data quality enforcement; form generation from shapes; API request/response validation; Solid Pod data validation; FAIR data practices; widely used in Wikidata, biomedical data, and W3C VC ecosystems

Relationships

How this tool connects to other tools and organizations, from relationships reviewed by the OpenHaven data steward. They describe how projects connect, not how good they are.

Based on
Conforms to
Developed by
  • World Wide Web Consortium
Member of suite
  • W3C Semantic Web Suite
Speaks protocol
Stewarded by
  • World Wide Web Consortium
Composes with
Basis for
Conforming implementations
Succeeds