Linked Open Data (LOD)

Linked Open Data (LOD) is data that fulfills the requirements of both Linked Data (LD) and Open Data: it is both linked and uses open sources.

5-Star LOD describes data that achieves ideal linked-ness and open-ness:

1. ☆: Make your stuff available on the web under an open license
2. ☆☆: Make it available as structured data (e.g., Excel instead of a scan of a table)
3. ☆☆☆: Use non-proprietary formats (e.g., CSV instead of Excel)
4. ☆☆☆☆: Use Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) to identify things, so that people can point at your stuff
5. ☆☆☆☆☆: Link your data to other people’s data to provide context

Examples

• Linked Open Data Cloud

Further Resources

• Blaney (2017) “Introduction to the Principles of Linked Open Data”
• 5-Star Open Data (2015) “5-Star Open Data”
• Uyi Idehen (2019) “What is the Linked Open Data Cloud, and Why is it Important?”