Relationship to TMQL

Topic Map Query Language (TMQL) is a proposed work item for both ISO and XTM. TMQL will provide a standardised language for topic map query and update, similar in scope to that of SQL for relational database systems. There is overlap between the purpose of TMQL and that of a standard topic map API in that both are attempting to define a standard means of data access and manipulation. At least one proposal for a topic map querying language defines operations on topic maps which return topic maps as their 'results set'. Such results sets would still require representation in a data model and APIs for accessing that data to be useful to a client application, in this way a standard topic map API would be a natural adjunct to TMQL providing a JDBC-like API for manipulating the results of a TMQL query.

The TMQL effort will also be producing a rigorous formal model of the topic map abstract data-type based on the topic maps Conceptual Model presented in the XTM 1.0 Specification , and on a set of common operations which the topic map user community finds useful. At the time of writing, this is ongoing work for the TMQL group and although some proposals have been made, no initial version was available on which to base a proposal for a programming model, however it will be important that any community effort to develop a standard programming model should pay close attention to this formal model as it is available.