Question

Why should OPTIONAL triple patterns be simple?

a) They are only evaluated if time allows.
b) Complex patterns lead to ambiguous results.
c) Simplicity ensures better query optimization.
d) OPTIONAL patterns cannot be complex.

Answer 1

OPTIONAL triple patterns should be kept simple to optimize SPARQL query performance, as complexity can slow down processing and complicate query logic.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question "Why should OPTIONAL triple patterns be simple?" refers to the practice in SPARQL query formulation within semantic web and linked data applications. The correct answer is c) Simplicity ensures better query optimization. OPTIONAL triple patterns should be kept simple to ensure that the SPARQL query processor can efficiently evaluate the query. Complex OPTIONAL patterns can lead to increased processing time as the query processor must consider more combinations of data that may satisfy the pattern. In addition, simple OPTIONAL triple patterns can help in avoiding unnecessarily convoluted query logic that may affect maintainability and readability of the query. OPTIONAL patterns can be complex in practice, however, keeping them simple is a best practice for optimizing query performance and ensuring results are straightforward.