Semantic Content Blocks

Disclaimer: Many of the features described in this guide are still in planning or active development. Some functionality may not yet be available in your instance.

Semantic Content Blocks are the foundation of rich, interoperable knowledge creation in SDL. They allow users to compose documents and datasets using structured, typed blocks that are linked to ontologies and RDF data.

This guide explains how to work with semantic blocks, how to annotate them, and how they contribute to a machine-readable, knowledge-driven environment.

What is a Semantic Block?

A semantic block is a modular unit of content that:

Is typed using rdfs:type or a subclass from a known ontology
Can include both human-readable and machine-readable components
Stores data as RDF triples behind the scenes
Is individually addressable and versioned

Examples include:

Paragraphs of text with semantic annotations
Data tables linked to measurement ontologies
Provenance-aware workflow steps
Embedded graphs or visualizations

Creating a Semantic Block

To create a block:

Click the "+ Add Block" button at the insertion point
Select a block type (e.g., Text, Data, Note, Reference, Chart)
Enter content and optionally apply a semantic type or link

Each block will be stored with its type and optional context in the RDF graph for the page.

Annotating Content

You can annotate content in two primary ways:

Inline Annotation: Highlight text to link it to a URI or concept
Block Annotation: Assign a semantic type or role to the entire block

Autocomplete and vocabulary suggestions are available during annotation. Blocks may also display embedded metadata (e.g., dc:creator, prov:wasGeneratedBy).

Linking and Referencing

Semantic blocks can:

Link to other pages, datasets, or concepts
Be reused across documents
Contain embedded references with citations

All links are tracked as RDF relations, supporting provenance and reasoning.

Advanced Features

Planned features include:

SHACL-based validation for block structure
Template-driven authoring for repeatable scientific workflows
Context-sensitive autocomplete for domain-specific vocabularies
SPARQL-powered live queries embedded as semantic blocks

Tips for Semantic Authoring

Prefer linking to existing ontologies when possible
Use meaningful types for blocks to support reuse and discovery
Group related blocks using semantic sections
Preview RDF output for complex documents to validate structure

Semantic content blocks turn SDL into more than a writing tool — they transform it into a semantic knowledge environment where every piece of content can be queried, shared, and reasoned over.