SPARQL endpoint


 * This information is very out of date.

A SPARQL endpoint is a conformant SPARQL protocol service as defined in the SPROT specification. A SPARQL endpoint enables users (human or other) to query a knowledge base via the SPARQL language. Results are typically returned in one or more machine-processable formats. Therefore, a SPARQL endpoint is mostly conceived as a machine-friendly interface towards a knowledge base. Both the formulation of the queries and the human-readable presentation of the results should typically be implemented by the calling software, and not be done manually by human users.

The term endpoint has a more general meaning. In the "normative definitions" section of the Web Services Description Requirements document we find:

EndPoint (AKA Port) [Definition: An association between a fully-specified InterfaceBinding and a network address, specified by a URI [IETF RFC 2396], that may be used to communicate with an instance of a Web Service. An EndPoint indicates a specific location for accessing a   Web Service using a specific protocol and data format.]

http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-ws-addr-core-20050215/ states:

"A Web service endpoint is a (referenceable) entity, processor, or  resource to which Web service messages can be addressed. Endpoint   references convey the information needed to address a Web service endpoint."