What is a GQL Standard?

What is in a Graph Query Language Standard?

The current thought is that the GQL Standard will be two or three parts that include:

• Incorporate specifications from SQL/Framework and SQL/Foundation (ISO/IEC JTC1 9075:2016 parts 1 & 2), including:

  • Some scalar data types

  • Operations, functions, and predicates for the scalar types

  • Transaction model (isolation level, COMMIT, ROLLBACK, etc.)

  • Security model

  • Client model and session model? 

• Graph Pattern Matching

  • Identical to Graph Pattern Matching in SQL/PGQ:2023

• GQL Specific Capabilities

  • Graph-only data types

    • Vertex

    • Edge

    • Path

  • Graph operations not included in SQL:/PGQ:2023

    • Create Graph

    • Insert/Update/Delete

    • Queries (using GPM)

  • Open graphs or graph types to constrain the contents of a graph

Possible Timeline for a GQL Standard

The following is a the likely timeline for the progression of a formal Graph Query Language Standard (as of November, 2023).

• 2019-09 – 39075 Database Language GQL project approved - this is the start

• 2021-11 – CD Ballot started

• 2022-02 – CD Ballot ended and comment resolution started

• 2022-08 - CD2 Consultation started

• 2022-10 - CD2 Consultation ended

• 2023-05 – DIS (Draft International Standard) Ballot started

• 2023-08 – DIS ballot ended

• 2024-01 - FDIS ballot starts

• 2024-03 - FDIS ballot ends

• 2024-04 – International Standard published

The technical work is completed, editorial corrections have been made, and the GQL standard is waiting to be published.