# horned-owl

> Rust software package for working with OWL ontologies

**Wikidata**: [Q116968042](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116968042)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/horned-owl-q116968042

## Summary
Horned-owl is a software package written in the Rust programming language designed for working with OWL (Web Ontology Language) ontologies. Developed primarily by Phillip Lord, a lecturer at Newcastle University, the project is an open-source tool licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Software package.
- **Primary Function:** Working with OWL ontologies.
- **Programming Language:** Rust.
- **License:** GNU General Public License, version 3.0.
- **Developers:** Phillip Lord and Janna Hastings.
- **Source Repository:** `github.com/phillord/horned-owl`
- **Latest Recorded Version:** 0.12.0 (released July 3, 2022).
- **Initial Recorded Release:** Version 0.2 (released September 2, 2018).

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of horned-owl?
A: Horned-owl is a software library used for manipulating and working with OWL ontologies. It provides a native implementation within the Rust programming language ecosystem.

### Q: Who created and maintains horned-owl?
A: The software was created by Phillip Lord, a researcher and lecturer at the School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, along with developer Janna Hastings.

### Q: Is horned-owl free to use?
A: Yes, horned-owl is free software released under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0, allowing users to run, study, and share the software.

## Why It Matters
Horned-owl represents a specific technical effort to bridge the domain of semantic web technologies—specifically OWL ontologies—with the performance and safety characteristics of the Rust programming language. By providing a dedicated Rust package, it enables developers to build high-performance, memory-safe applications that need to interact with complex knowledge representation structures.

The project demonstrates sustained development activity over several years (2018–2022), evolving through at least ten distinct versions. This indicates a commitment to refining the tool's capabilities for parsing and handling ontology files. For researchers and computer scientists, such as creator Phillip Lord, tools like horned-owl are essential infrastructure for advancing bioinformatics and computer science research where large, complex data models are standard.

## Notable For
- Being a native Rust implementation for OWL ontology processing, distinct from Java-based tools commonly found in this domain.
- Active development history with consistent version releases from 2018 to 2022.
- Academic origins, developed by a lecturer and researcher from Newcastle University.
- Open-source licensing under GPL v3.0, promoting transparency and community contribution.

## Body

### Development and Creator
Horned-owl was developed by Phillip Lord, a lecturer and researcher at the School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, and Janna Hastings. The project is classified as a software component ("non-tangible executable component of a computer") and is copyrighted.

### Version History
The software has undergone regular updates since its initial recorded release in 2018. The development timeline includes:
- **0.2:** Released September 2, 2018.
- **0.4.0:** Released October 2, 2018.
- **0.5.0:** Released October 26, 2018.
- **0.6.0:** Released July 23, 2019.
- **0.7.0:** Released July 24, 2020.
- **0.8.0:** Released August 5, 2020.
- **0.9.0:** Released February 8, 2021.
- **0.10.0:** Released December 6, 2021.
- **0.11.0:** Released February 14, 2022.
- **0.12.0:** Released July 3, 2022.

### Technical Specifications
The package is hosted on GitHub at `https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl`. It is built using the Rust programming language (identified as Wikidata item Q575650). The software is distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0, ensuring it remains free and open for modification and redistribution.

## References

1. [Release 0.2. 2018](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v0.2)
2. [Release 0.4.0. 2018](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.4.0)
3. [Release 0.5.0. 2018](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.5.0)
4. [Release 0.6.0. 2019](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v0.6.0)
5. [Release 0.7.0. 2020](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.7.0)
6. [Release 0.8.0. 2020](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.8.0)
7. [Release 0.9.0. 2021](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.9.0)
8. [Release 0.10.0. 2021](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.10.0)
9. [Release 0.11.0. 2022](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.11.0)
10. [Release 0.12.0. 2022](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/0.12.0)
11. [Release 0.13.0. 2023](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v0.13.0)
12. [Release 0.14.0. 2023](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v0.14.0)
13. [Release 1.0.0. 2024](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v1.0.0)
14. [Release 1.1.0. 2025](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v1.1.0)
15. [Release 1.2.0. 2025](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v1.2.0)
16. [Release 1.4.0. 2026](https://github.com/phillord/horned-owl/releases/tag/v1.4.0)