The Taub Faculty of Computer Science Events and Talks

Two of the hardest problems of developing data-processing applications are: (1) integrating data from heterogeneous sources, and (2) handling the inherent discrepancies between data models of the sources and models of programming languages, e.g., the object-relational impedance mismatch. The Semantic Web is a set of technologies (RDF, RDFS, OWL, SPARQL) that facilitate data integration. However, it does not solve the impedance mismatch problem. It merely exchanges object-relational impedance mismatch with object-RDF impedance mismatch. In the talk I will illustrate a solution to the impedance mismatch problem - a hybrid of RDF and objects. Essentially, we modify an object-oriented language so that RDF data items become first-class citizens of the language, and objects of the language become first-class citizens of RDF. The benefits of the hybrid model and of the modified programming language are as follows: (1) it becomes natural to use the language as a persistent programming language, where persistence issues are handled implicitly; (2) tools from both models, (such as optimizers, syntax checkers, query and reasoning engines) can be applied to the artifacts of the unified model; and (3) programming is done over a single unified conceptual model. In the talk I will present the modified programming language, explain its benefits and illustrate code optimizations. A prototype system will be presented. I will provide a background to the impedance mismatch problem and to the Semantic Web. Thus, no previous knowledge of these subjects is required.