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?

  • Capabilities needed by both SQL/PGQ (Property Graph Queries in SQL) and the GQL standard

    • Originally integrated into SQL/PGQ:2023

    • Split into a separate part as GQL project progresses, referenced by both GQL and SQL/PGQ

    • Graph Pattern Matching

    • Etc...

  • GQL Specific Capabilities

    • Graph-only data types

      • Vertex

      • Edge

      • Path

    • Graph operations not included in SQL:/PGQ:2020

    • Graph analog of SQL/Schemata


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 June, 2022).

  • 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

  • 2023-06 – DIS (Draft International Standard) Ballot starts

  • 2023-11 – DIS ballot ends

  • 2024-04 – International Standard

We have made a great deal of progress but there is still work to be done.