API Reference

The JudaicaLink API provides programmatic access to linked data, including entities, datasets, and SPARQL queries. This guide outlines available API endpoints and how to interact with them.

Base API URL: https://data.judaicalink.org/api/

Authentication

Currently, the JudaicaLink API is publicly accessible and does not require authentication.

Endpoints

1. Retrieve Entity Data

Endpoint:

GET /entity/{id}

Description: Retrieves structured RDF data about a specific entity.

Example Request:

GET https://data.judaicalink.org/api/entity/moses-mendelssohn

Response (JSON-LD Example):

{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@id": "https://data.judaicalink.org/entity/moses-mendelssohn",
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Moses Mendelssohn",
    "birthDate": "1729-09-06",
    "deathDate": "1786-01-04"
}

2. Search Entities

Endpoint:

GET /search

Description: Performs a full-text search across JudaicaLink’s knowledge graph.

Parameters:

q (required) - Search query term
limit (optional, default: 10) - Number of results to return

Example Request:

GET https://data.judaicalink.org/api/search?q=Mendelssohn&limit=5

3. List Available Datasets

Endpoint:

GET /datasets

Description: Returns metadata about all datasets available in JudaicaLink.

Example Request:

GET https://data.judaicalink.org/api/datasets

Example Response:

[
    {
        "id": "yivo",
        "title": "YIVO Encyclopedia",
        "description": "Jewish history and culture dataset"
    },
    {
        "id": "stolpersteine",
        "title": "Stolpersteine Memorials",
        "description": "Database of Holocaust memorials in Europe"
    }
]

4. Run SPARQL Queries

Endpoint:

GET /sparql

Description: Executes a SPARQL query on the JudaicaLink knowledge graph.

Parameters:

query (required) - SPARQL query string

Example Request:

GET https://data.judaicalink.org/api/sparql?query=SELECT+%3Fperson+%3Fname+WHERE+%7B+%3Fperson+a+foaf%3APerson+%3B+foaf%3Aname+%3Fname+%7D+LIMIT+10

Response Format: - JSON (Accept: application/json) - XML (Accept: application/xml)

Error Handling

The API returns standard HTTP status codes:

200 OK - Successful request
400 Bad Request - Invalid parameters
404 Not Found - Resource does not exist
500 Internal Server Error - Server-side issue

Usage Limits & Best Practices

Rate Limits: The API enforces request limits to prevent abuse. If you encounter a 429 Too Many Requests response, reduce the request frequency.
Efficient Queries: Use filters and LIMIT clauses in SPARQL queries to improve response times.
Data Caching: Cache frequently accessed results to reduce load on the API.

Support

For assistance, contact: https://labs.judaicalink.org/contact/.

— The JudaicaLink API provides structured, linked data for Jewish studies. Explore the datasets and integrate them into your projects! 🚀