Triples

A triple states a relationship between three terms: a subject, a predicate, and an object.

The subject and object are usually atoms. The predicate is also an atom, drawn from a shared vocabulary. See Predicates.

Identity#

A triple's identifier is derived from the identifiers of its three terms, in order. Like an atom, a triple cannot be registered twice, and anyone can derive its identifier from its parts.

Order is significant. A follows B and B follows A are different triples with different identifiers.

Registration order#

The MultiVault contract registers a triple only if its subject, predicate, and object are already registered. To publish a triple, register any of its terms that are missing first, then the triple. See Publish onchain.

Triples about triples#

A triple is a term, so it can be the subject or object of another triple. This lets you make a claim about a claim, for example to attach a source or a qualification. Core records, for each position of a triple, whether it refers to an atom or to another triple.

Counter-triples#

Every triple has a counter-triple, which represents disagreement with it. The counter-triple is created together with the triple. It has its own identifier, derived from the triple's identifier, and its own vault. Depositing on a triple expresses support for the claim. Depositing on its counter-triple expresses opposition.

import { calculateCounterTripleId } from '@0xintuition/ids';

// tripleId is the identifier of an existing triple.
const counterTripleId = calculateCounterTripleId(tripleId);

A triple is a claim, not a fact#

Registering a triple records that someone made the claim. It does not make the claim true. Whether a claim is credible is expressed by who backs it and by how much. See Vaults and signals.

Reading triples#

Core indexes every triple by all six orderings of subject, predicate, and object. As a result, one request returns every triple that mentions a given atom in any position. Replace <atom-id> with the atom's identifier:

curl http://localhost:3000/api/atoms/<atom-id>/triples

See the REST API.

Related#

• Identifiers
• Predicates