API4KP Metamodel: A Meta-API for Heterogeneous Knowledge Platforms

API4KP (API for Knowledge Platforms) is a standard development effort that targets the basic administration services as well as the retrieval, modification and processing of expressions in machine-readable languages, including but not limited to knowledge representation and reasoning (KRR) languages, within heterogeneous (multi-language, multi-nature) knowledge platforms. KRR languages of concern in this paper include but are not limited to RDF(S), OWL, RuleML and Common Logic, and the knowledge platforms may support one or several of these. Additional languages are integrated using mappings into KRR languages. A general notion of structure for knowledge sources is developed using monads. The presented API4KP metamodel, in the form of an OWL ontology, provides the foundation of an abstract syntax for communications about knowledge sources and environments, including a classification of knowledge source by mutability, structure, and an abstraction hierarchy as well as the use of performatives (inform, query, ...), languages, logics, dialects, formats and lineage. Finally, the metamodel provides a classification of operations on knowledge sources and environments which may be used for requests (message-passing).