Identify groupings of SHACL elements

[nicholascar]

Within a Graph, we may wish to identify the SHACL Elements grouped together for a stated purpose.

Context

I have a database containing lots of SHACL Elements (Shapes, Rules etc.) that have been defined over time and fur different, but related, purposes. Some shapes are dependent on others.

I want to be able to understand the intention of particular groupings so I can use, reuse and develop them.

Individual SHACL Elements' purposes can be annotated on the elements themselves, but the overall purpose of groupings needs to be annotated on a grouping object.

Postconditions

1. The Actor can identify a grouping of SHACL Elements
2. the Actor can determine a grouping's purpose

Solution

Use the basic RDF definitional object, owl:Ontology as a container for SHACL Elements.

Use of owl:Ontology instances allows for:

• identification, via the instance's IRI
• discovery of purpose, via standard metadata

Note

Use of owl:Ontology instances for grouping SHACL Elements together is common practice in 2025, since SHACL's first release in 2017 but it's not formalised anywhere. This Use Case aims to help formalise this practice.