Hypertext Application Language (HAL) is an

Internet Draft An Internet Draft (I-D) is a document published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) containing preliminary technical specifications, results of networking-related research, or other technical information. Often, Internet Drafts are int ...

(a "work in progress") standard convention for defining hypermedia such as links to external

resources Resource refers to all the materials available in our environment which are technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally sustainable and help us to satisfy our needs and wants. Resources can broadly be classified upon their av ...

within JSON or

XML Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language and file format for storing, transmitting, and reconstructing arbitrary data. It defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable ...

code (however, the latest version of HAL Internet-Draft expired on November 12, 2016.). The standard was initially proposed in June 2012 specifically for use with JSON and has since become available in two variations, JSON and XML. The two associated

MIME Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) is an Internet standard that extends the format of email messages to support text in character sets other than ASCII, as well as attachments of audio, video, images, and application programs. Message ...

types are media type: application/hal+xml and media type: application/hal+json. HAL was created to be simple to use and easily applicable across different domains by avoiding the need to impose any requirements on how the project be structured. Maintaining this minimal impact approach, HAL has enabled developers to create general-purpose

libraries A library is a collection of Document, materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or electronic media, digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a ...

which can be easily incorporated on any

API An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...

that uses HAL. APIs that adopt HAL simplify the use of open source libraries and make it possible to interact with the

using JSON or XML. The alternative would be having to develop a proprietary format which in turn forces developers to learn how to use yet another foreign format.

Convention

HAL is structured in such a way as to represent elements based on two concepts: Resources and Links. Resources consist of

URI Uri may refer to: Places * Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland * Úri, a village and commune in Hungary * Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India * Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...

links, embedded resources, your standard data (be it JSON or XML), and non URI links. Links have a target URI, as well as the name of the link (referred to as 'rel'), as well as optional properties designed to be mindful of deprecation and content negotiation.

Example

General Resource Embedded resource Collections

References

{{reflist

External links

JSON Hypertext Application Language latest draft
JSON Data serialization formats Markup languages XML markup languages XML-based standards World Wide Web Consortium standards

Convention

Example

See also

References

External links