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Understanding Context

The @context is a fundamental JSON-LD concept that gives meaning to your data. Understanding it will help you write cleaner transactions and queries.

What is @context?​

In JSON-LD, @context maps short property names to full URIs. It's like a dictionary that defines what your terms mean.

Without context:


{
"@id": "http://example.org/alice",
"http://schema.org/name": "Alice",
"http://schema.org/email": "alice@example.com"
}

With context:


{
"@context": {
"schema": "http://schema.org/"
},
"@id": "ex:alice",
"schema:name": "Alice",
"schema:email": "alice@example.com"
}

Why Context Matters​

Universal Meaning​

When you use schema:name, you're using a term defined by Schema.org—a vocabulary understood by search engines, other databases, and tools worldwide. Your data becomes interoperable.

Avoiding Ambiguity​

Without context, name could mean anything. With context, schema:name specifically means "the name of something" as defined by Schema.org.

Cleaner Data​

Context lets you write concise JSON while maintaining precise, universal meaning.

Default Context​

Fluree provides a default context, so you can write:


{
"@id": "ex:alice",
"name": "Alice"
}

And Fluree knows what name means.

Custom Context​

You can define your own terms:


{
"@context": {
"ex": "http://example.org/",
"worksAt": {"@id": "ex:worksAt", "@type": "@id"}
}
}

This defines:

  • ex as a prefix for http://example.org/
  • worksAt as a property that references other entities

Next Steps​