Updating Linked Data practices for FAIR Digital Object principles

Background The FAIR principles (Wilkinson et al. 2016) are fundamental for data discovery, sharing, consumption and reuse; however their broad interpretation many ways to implement can lead inconsistencies incompatibility (Jacobsen 2020). European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) has been instrumental in maturing encouraging practices across a wide range of research areas. Linked Data the form RDF (Resource Description Framework) is common way machine-readability FAIR, do not prescribe or any particular technology (Mons 2017). Digital Object (FDO) (Schultes Wittenburg 2019) proposed improve researcher’s access digital objects through formalising metadata, types, identifiers exposing computational operations, making them actionable rather than passive sources. FDO set (Bonino 2019), implementable multiple ways. Current realisations mostly use Interface Protocol (DOIPv2) (DONA Foundation 2018), with main implementation CORDRA. We consider DOIPv2 as simplified combination object-oriented (CORBA, SOAP) document-based (HTTP, FTP) approaches. More recently, Forum prepared detailed recommendations, currently open comments, including DOIP endorsement updated requirements. These point out another possible stack, which focus this work. standards (LD), based on Web architecture, commonplace sciences like bioinformatics, chemistry medical informatics – publish machine-readable resources. LD become ubiquitous general Web, schema.org vocabulary used by over 10 million sites indexing search engines 43% all websites JSON-LD. Although align (Hasnain Rebholz-Schuhmann they fully encompass active aspects FDOs. HTTP protocol heavily applications (e.g. mobile apps cloud services), REST APIs customised JSON structures. Approaches that merge worlds include Platform (LDP), Hydra Payments. Meeting using Considering potential FDOs when combined mature stack LD, here we briefly discuss how Bonino (2019) be achieved existing standards. (G1–G9) apply well: being stable 30 years, JSON-LD widely used, practitioners mainly RDF, clear abstraction between model bindings available serialisations. However, considering specific (FDOF1–FDOF12) find additional constraints best need established arbitrary resources cannot assumed follow principles. This equivalent FDO-compliant without constraints. Namely, persistent (PIDs) (McMurry 2017) (FDOF1) world http://purl.org/ https://w3id.org/), don’t always have declared type (FDOF2), PID may even appear metadata. URL-based PIDs resolvable (FDOF3), typically redirections content-negotiation. One great advantage attributes defined semantic artefacts (FDOF4), reused vocabularies. While CRUD operations (FDOF6) supported native (GET/PUT/POST/DELETE) LDP , there little consistency define operation interfaces (FDOF5). Existing approaches OpenAPI URI templates good candidates, should related types support machine-actionable composition (FDOF7). error code 410 Gone tombstone pages removed (FDOF12), although more frequent 404 Not Found . Metadata resolved documents own URIs, but these frequently (FDOF8). RDF-Star nanopublications (Kuhn 2021) give identify trace provenance individual assertions. Different metadata levels (FDOF9) developed vocabularies different communities (FDOF10), such FHIR health data, Bioschemas bioinformatics >1000 bioontologies. Increased declaration navigation profiles therefore essential machine-actionability consistent endpoints. Several exist rich collections (FDOF11), e.g. OAI-ORE, DCAT, RO-Crate, LDP. extended heterogeneously will choices core Another challenge refer “almost same” concept significant effort created manual automated mappings (Baker 2013, de Mello 2022). Currently suggested alternative implementing Objects da Silva Santos 2021), proposes novel approach content-negotiation custom media types. Discussion provides specifications, tools guidelines order help reality. accelerate uptake scholars infrastructures (EOSC). amount poses threat adoption interoperability. Yet, challenges agreeing usage equally worked scientific RO-Crate (Soiland-Reyes 2022), lightweight method package outputs along RO-Crate’s shows just one model, it's powerful enough able express FDOs, familiar web developers. also Signposting (Van Sompel 2022) Link: headers properties an (PID, type, licence, bytestream) does require heuristics agnostic believe adopting principles, today start building practical assist scientists efficiently answering topical questions knowledge graphs.