RDFBeans is an object-RDF mapping framework for Java. It provides ORM-like databinding functionality for RDF data models with two basic techniques:

  • Classic object persistence: basic CRUD (Create, Retrieve, Update and Delete) operations on the state of JavaBean-like POJO objects

  • Dynamic proxy mechanism for transparent access of RDF data using Java interfaces mapped directly to the underlying RDF model structures

RDFBeans is built upon Eclipse RDF4J (former Sesame) API to provide object persistence with a number of RDF storage implementations, including third party RDF database solutions.

RDFBeans is based on Java Annotations mechanism. No special interfaces and superclasses is required, that guarantees minimum modifications of existing codebase and compatibility with other POJO-oriented frameworks.

Other features:

  • Built-in support of basic Java literal types mapped to standard XML-Schema literals; with ability to extend it with custom algorithms to represent domain-specific data structures
  • Cascade databinding to reduce development time and to ensure referential integrity of complex object models
  • Support of basic Java Collections, optionally represented with RDF containers
  • Inheritance of RDFBeans annotations from superclasses and/or interfaces
  • Transaction-safe model updates
  • Virtual inversed properties to model owl:inverseOf-like behavior (experimental)
  • Support of RDF namespaces