Linked Data Interfaces: A Survey

Abstract

In the era of big data, linked data interfaces play a critical role in enabling access to and management of large-scale, heterogeneous datasets. This survey investigates forty-seven interfaces developed by the semantic web community in the context of the Web of Linked Data, displaying information about general topics and digital library contents. The interfaces are classified based on their interaction paradigm, the type of information they display, and the complexity reduction strategies they employ. The main purpose to be addressed is the possibility of categorizing a great number of available tools so that comparison among them becomes feasible and valuable. The analysis reveals that most interfaces use a hybrid interaction paradigm combining browsing, searching, and displaying information in lists or tables. Complexity reduction strategies, such as faceted search and summary visualization, are also identified. Emerging trends in linked data interface focus on user-centric design and advancements in semantic annotation methods, leveraging machine learning techniques for data enrichment and retrieval. Additionally, an interactive platform is provided to explore and compare data on the analyzed tools. Overall, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for developing linked data interfaces and tailoring the interaction paradigm and complexity reduction strategies to specific user needs is essential.